His Angel
by durararaaa
Summary: Starts off from the Quidditch world cup, Harry finds a more important reason to fight for and that sometimes, a fairytale or legend is a lot more than it seems. Old friendships broken, new ones formed. Sticks to canon at first but will tread to AU territory. M rating because I'm paranoid. Harry/Fleur.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of this. Writing this cuz I love the pairing and can't seem to wait quietly when I have free time xD.**

**The older version of this chapter had a number of errors. This is the new version which has been beta'd by Opinionated1234 so...thanks go out to her. **

**CHAPTER 1**

"Harry, Ron wake up! It's time to go," Hermione's voice echoed through the room. Harry opened one eye and groaned softly before pushing himself off the bed. A loud snore announced that Ron was still fast asleep.

"Honestly Ron! Get up!" Hermione raised her voice and walked over to sharply prod the red haired boy's leg.

"Wha? Whozair?" Harry chuckled softly before he grabbed his glasses from the bedside table, putting them on. He couldn't help the excitement and happiness that was flooding through him as he thought about the Quidditch World Cup for which he and the rest of the Weasley family, have Mrs Weasley, were going to go to today. He grinned as he remembered the Dursleys' faces when the Weasleys had come to get him from his Aunt and Uncle's house. Fighting down the laughter he felt growing inside when he remembered the incident with the ton tongue toffee and Dudley, he got up and strode past Hermione, who was still poking Ron trying to get him to wake up, and walked into the washroom just outside their room.

He could hear voices grumbling throughout the house, along with the Ghoul in the attic that continued to moan occasionally. After washing away the sleep from his eyes, he walked out to find Ron with his eyes half closed, standing outside the washroom waiting for Harry to come out. Hermione had already gone back downstairs, he realized, as he located the long sleeved shirt along with the black jeans that were laid out for him, pulling them on. Since they were going to be travelling to the stadium they were going to have to wear muggle clothing ,seeing as they would draw stares from muggles if they walked down the streets wearing robes.

After dressing he made a half-hearted attempt to calm his untidy hair with a comb, which had grown longer over the summer and now hung just above his shoulders. Mrs Weasley had immediately tried to cut it as soon as she had seen him but the rest of the boys and Hermione, with Bill being the most vocal, had protested against it, saying that it was an improvement. He bumped into Fred and George on the way down and laughed. The Twins, for once, were not sporting their usual grins, instead their eyes remaining half closed. He walked into the kitchen where Mrs Weasley was busy at the stove ,along Hermione and Ginny, while Mr Weasley was sitting at the table reading the _Daily Prophet_. He smiled when he saw Harry and got up.

"Well Harry? Do I look like a muggle?" he asked. He was wearing a brightly colored sweater along with a pair of grey trousers.

"Just like one," he grinned back.

"Oh, good Morning Harry!" Mrs Weasley said, turning around to look at him, "just a minute dear and I will have your breakfast ready soon."

"Thanks Mrs Weasley."

Ginny caught his eye and turned away, blushing furiously. He inwardly groaned as he knew of her crush on him. Ron, Fred and George had been openly teasing her in front of him ever since he saved her life from Tom Riddle in their second year. Just like Hermione, he regarded her as a sister. He couldn't bring himself to think of her as more than that. Mrs Weasley set a plate in front of him and tipped three eggs onto his plate, along with some buttered toast. He began to eat just as Ron, Fred and George shuffled into the room, stifling yawns.

"Where are Bill, Charlie and Percy?" Fred asked looking around the room.

"Well they're apparating aren't they? So they can have a bit of a lie in," Mrs Weasley said turning back to the stove. The twins groaned loudly.

"Why can't we apparate too?" George whined.

"Because you aren't of age yet," Mrs Weasley said without turning around. Grumbling darkly they sat down and began to eat. After they were done Mrs Weasley flicked her wand making the dirty plates rise off the table and into the sink where they began cleaning themselves.

"We should be off then, the portkey is scheduled to activate in another…" Mr Weasley said, pausing to check his watch, "twenty-five minutes. We don't want to be late."

"Alright dears, have fun. And don't get into any trouble!" Mrs Weasleys said, adding the last part while staring pointedly at the twins. Both of them morphed their faces into identical, innocent expressions that of course fooled no one.

"Aw Mum, you know us…" both of them said at the same time, making everyone chuckle softly.

"I do, that's why I want you, Arthur, to keep watch over them in particular", Mrs Weasley said after she kissed Mr Weasley on the cheek, "take care then."

Mr Weasley and Fred picked up their rucksacks with the tents and pots and pans inside, protesting against Harry's offers to carry them. The group walked out to the chilly morning. It was still four in the morning and it was still dark out. As they walked on Harry sped up to walk with Mr Weasley.

"Mr Weasley? What's a portkey?"

"A portkey is a…hmm...how do I explain this?" He paused before continuing, his face brightening like someone had switched on a light. "It's a device that can transport groups of wizards and witches. Since there are plenty of us coming from all around the World for this and there are a lot of under aged Witches and Wizards arriving, not everyone can apparate in. Portkeys can be used to travel to any place in the World."

"What does it look like?" he asked curiously. Mr Weasley grinned.

"Why, it can be anything of course. A boot, a garbage can, anything that a muggle will not go around picking up and playing with."

"Where is it?"

"It's right up there, over the hill," Mr Weasley said, panting slightly as they started climbing the hill.

Harry could just make out the two tall figures at the top of the hill that stood watching them. As they got closer, Harry recognized one of them as the Hufflepuff seeker he played against during the match the Dementors crashed in their third year, Cedric Diggory. Seeing him Cedric grinned and held out his hand and pulled Harry onto the top of the hill.

"Ah, Arthur. Just in time I see," the man standing beside them said. Mr Weasley shook hands with him and introduced everyone.

"Children, this is Amos Diggory. And I assume you all know Cedric?" Harry caught sight of Ron, Fred and George glaring at Cedric. They hadn't forgiven him for winning the match against Gryffindor in the third year. Hermione and Ginny on the other hand blushed slightly. It was common knowledge that Cedric was one of the most popular 7th years of Hogwarts with his good looks.

"All of the redheads are my sons, that's Ron," Mr Weasley said indicating Ron who grimaced a little. "That's Fred…no wait, that's Fred, that's George. That's Ginny and Hermione Granger. And of course you know that's Harry Potter," Mr Weasley finished indicating Harry. Amos smiled and shook Harry's hand and glanced at his scar.

"A pleasure to finally meet you Mr Potter, my boy has told me a lot about you, especially about the last Quidditch match." Harry shifted uncomfortably and noticed that Fred and George were looking murderous. Mr Weasley also noticed this and led Mr Diggory a little way away while Cedric beckoned Harry away from the group.

"Hey Harry, look…I'm sorry about my father, he gets this way sometimes."

"It's alright"

Cedric looked at him curiously for a second. "Oh, you're hair's longer. There was something different about you that I couldn't place." Cedric grinned.

He was saved the trouble of answering as Mr Weasley beckoned them over next to an old boot.

"What are we doing gathering around a dirty old boot?" Ron asked as they gathered around it. Mr Weasley and Amos looking at their watches closely.

"It's the portkey, ickle Ronniekins," one of the twins cracked, to which Ron responded by kicking him in the leg.

"Boys, behave yourselves…now when I say so, grasp the boot." Mr Weasley said. After a few minutes Mr Weasley said "Now!" and everyone grasped the boot. Harry suddenly felt a jerk as the floor gave way from beneath him and he felt like a hook somewhere behind his navel was pulling him. Almost as immediately as this sensation started, it stopped and everyone fell over except for Mr Weasley, Cedric and Amos. Cedric pulled Harry up to which Harry muttered his thanks and carefully adjusted his glasses. It would take some time to get used to that method of travel.

"Welcome boys, to the Quidditch World Cup!" Mr Weasley exclaimed and Harry felt his eyes widen as he looked around at the sea of brightly colored tents, which covered nearly every inch of the vast fields in front of them. They walked through towards the campsite from where the Cedric and his father separated from them as they were in another part of the field. After saying their goodbyes they walked towards the muggle in charge of their area, a round faced man with a smile on his face. The man eyed them curiously as they approached.

"'Mornin'," the man said brightly.

"Good morning," Mr Weasley smiled.

"And your name will be sir?"

"Weasley." The man looked at the book in front of him. "Aha, found you…here you go," he said, handing Mr Weasley a map and pointing at a spot. "This is where you are now, that spot will be where you're space is."

"Thank you," Mr Weasley replied and pulled Harry to the side. "Harry, can you help me pay for this?" He asked pulling out a bundle of muggle money. Harry counted the bills and gave them to the man who looked at them curiously.

"You foreign?" he asked.

"Ahh, yes," Mr Weasley said uncertainly while the boys and Hermione and Ginny smirked.

"So many like you here, this is almost unnatural," the man said in a matter-of-fact tone. "There are some funnily dressed chaps walking around. There was even one that tried to pay me with huge gold coins." As soon as he said it a man materialized behind him and muttered _Obliviate, _pointing his wand at him. The man's eyes immediately went blank.

"Here's your change. And there is a tap marked on the map where you can get water," he said in a monotone voice.

"Thank you," Mr Weasley said, pocketing the money. They walked away from the man who was staring blankly into space while the Wizard that had appeared accompanied them.

"Alright there Arthur? I've been running around this entire area putting memory charms on muggles. Our lot are paying no attention to the warnings we put up and are using magic openly in broad daylight." Just as he said it a brilliant purple flame erupted a short distance away. Cursing loudly the Wizard took off in its direction leaving a bewildered Mr Weasley behind.

"All the same, we can't get by without magic, at least not easily," he said shaking his head while they walked through the mess of tents. Harry noticed that many of the Witches and Wizards were now waking up and coming outside to get breakfast ready. Some of them were awkwardly trying to light fires with a box of matches with disbelieving looks on their faces ,as if sure this was not going to work, while others were pulling out their wands and muttering under their breaths, casting magical fires with shifty looks.

Harry gasped in wonder when he chanced a glimpse inside one of the tents. Instead of the confined space he expect, there was a large living room, complete with stairs, leading upwards. A little further on they saw a tent that had two floors and even a little further on they found a miniature house like structure. Mr Weasley smiled. "We can't resist showing off when we get together…ah here it is!" He said indicating a vacant spot with a sign saying 'Weazley'. "Alright, let's set up this tent," he said brightly while the others groaned.

He pulled out a large bundle of canvas from his bag, along with pegs and ropes. It took them awhile but after many failed attempts them finally managed to erect two rather small looking tents.

"Home sweet home," Mr Weasley grinned opening the tent flap and beckoning them in. They walked into a large, spacious room that had two adjoining rooms with bunk beds attached to the wall. In front of them was a large table complete with chairs. "This belongs to a Ministry friend of mine. The poor bloke couldn't make it so he lent them to me."

"It's brilliant!" Harry exclaimed. They decided to wait a little for Bill, Charlie and Percy before having lunch. They spent the time looking at the passing people. It was slowly becoming a flurry of activity as Witches and Wizards walked around, laughing and talking. Mr Weasley kept up a running commentary of everyone for Harry and Hermione's benefit. Soon they caught sight of three red haired figures striding towards them.

"Alright boys, let's start getting some firewood and water ready. It'll be too busy to walk around later so we should get what we can now," Mr Weasley said just as the older three walked in. Everyone nodded their assent and soon Harry, Ron and Hermione were given the task of getting water from the tap that was marked over at the next field, while the rest were sent around to get firewood and supplies .After a quick tour of the girl's bunk which was significantly smaller than the boys' bunk, they set off towards the other field.

Along the way they met familiar faces from school. "Hey Harry! Ron! How are you mate?" A voice called and they turned around to find a grinning Seamus Finnigan. "Oh and Hermione too!" They walked into a bright green tent and met with a stern woman with a kind face who Seamus introduced as his mother. When Harry was introduced her eyes performed the familiar flick up to his scar. After the pleasantries were done with (including reassuring them that they were going to be supporting Ireland in the match against Bulgaria) they walked out and resumed their journey.

"Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot," Ron grumbled.

Harry caught sight of a multitude of red tents pointed at them with a picture of a scowling man on a Firebolt wearing blood-red robes on the front of almost every single one.

"Who's that?" Hermione asked curiously as they walked by the poster after poster.

"That is Victor Krum," Ron said dramatically. He looked at both of them, obviously expecting a reaction. When none came he sighed loudly. "The best seeker in the world! You just need to watch him and you'll see it. He does stuff on a broom that is nothing short of amazing!" Hermione rolled her eyes and catching Harry's eye she grinned. They had been wondering who it was that the twins had been teasing Ron about. They had been saying that Ron had a crush on a boy and had a picture of him stashed under his pillow. It seemed like they had found the one.

"Oh Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," Hermione said exasperatedly.

Ron's eyes widened. "Only a Quidditch player? Just wait…" He went on and on. She looked at Harry, causing him to chuckle and shrug. It was difficult to argue with Ron when it came to Quidditch. They walked on and along the way they met up with more of their friends from school, including Neville Longbottom, a boy in the same year as them who Harry liked despite his occasional clumsiness. He told them, his round face shining in excitement, that his grandmother had finally consented to bringing him to see the World Cup, although they would only stay the one night, even if the match progressed on for longer than that.

It was a known fact that some of the matches of the World Cup lasted days, weeks, even months. He secretly hoped it would stretch on for some time, it was fun being in the middle of the excitement. They reached the tap and got in the long line of people waiting for their turn to get water. They each picked up some of the empty buckets that were laid out near them, ready to fill them with water and take them back to camp. Hermione dissolved into a fit of giggles when a Wizard came in front of them wearing a muggle women's dress and yelling at the top of his voice that it was proper muggle attire, a Ministry official running behind him holding a pair of trousers and a shirt. Once they got the water they slowly started making their way back. At the side they noticed a large group of girls that were talking amongst themselves in what Harry recognized as French.

"Those girls over there? They look like they're our age but they don't go to Hogwarts do they?" Harry asked curiously. Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"Of course they don't go to Hogwarts Harry! There are more schools all over the world that teach magic to children." Harry felt stupid now that he realised that he had thought that Hogwarts was the only school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, especially when there were Witches and Wizards all over the world.

"Yeah, I heard Bill had a pen pal from another school, can't remember much about it though," Ron said thoughtfully. They walked on until they found themselves back inside their tent.

"What took you so long?" George asked.

"Met a few people," Ron answered, sitting down. "What's for lunch?"

"Don't know, Dad's having too much fun with the matches," Fred said, smirking slightly and jerking his thumb back at his father who sure enough, was having the time of his life with the matches. He would light one and promptly drop it in surprise. Hermione went to help him out and soon they had a fire going, some of the food that Bill and Charlie had bought cooking. After lunch they were comfortably full, but no one could settle down with the building excitement.

Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Ginny started a game of Exploding snap while Percy talked to Mr Weasley about his work back at the Ministry. Hermione decided to start reading a book she had brought with her and finally, after fidgeting around in his seat and unable to take anymore, Harry got up and announced he was going to take back the buckets and get more water. Ron jumped up to accompany him and they went back outside. After replacing the buckets of water they walked around the different campsites and met with a lot more of their friends.

He felt slightly uncomfortable as he felt their gazes, particularly that of the women falling on him as he walked. It seemed he had taken on a lot more trouble than he realized when he decided to change his appearance. He could literally feel Ron shaking in jealousy when a pretty red haired girl waved at him , saying something in French and blowing him a kiss, causing his cheeks to warm considerably.

Fortunately for him, at that moment Lee Jordan came up from behind them and greeted them.

"Ron, I'm going to the other campsite." Ron nodded before turning back to Lee leaving Harry to walk on. With a sigh he brought his hand to his head, absentmindedly tracing his scar as he remembered the unbearable pain and the vision he had seen a few weeks ago. It didn't worry him a lot but it still irked him from time to time. He thought about the letter he had written to Sirius and wished that wherever he was, he was at least comfortable.

He was deep in thought when he walked straight into a person who, like him, had been deep in thought, each not fully aware of where they were going. The person pushed him in surprise and Harry trying vainly not to fall to the ground. He ended up grabbing onto the person's hand trying to steady himself but fell backwards, the person lying on top of him. After an initial groan of pain Harry noticed the hand he was holding on to was small and smooth, and felt almost as if he was touching the surface of a cloud.

He opened his eyes and looked right into the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen in his life. Two perfect sapphire orbs shining brightly, clear as the morning sky. He stared at the perfect, angular face, long, silvery white hair splayed out behind her. Her pale skin seemed to emit a pearly white glow making her stand out. His heart quickened when his eyes focused on her pink lips, which were parted slightly, her hot breath tickling his face. He got a sudden, unbidden urge to press his lips against hers but realizing what he just thought, clenched his fist painfully digging his nails into his hands. He would _not_ make a fool of himself in front of a goddess like this.

After what seemed like a while of them simply looking at each other closely he finally found his voice.

"Um…c..c..could you get up? Please?" He stammered nervously causing her eyes to widen in surprise before she slowly got up. Then her face cracked into the most beautiful smile he had ever seen as she held out her hand to him. He took it, aware of the stares the two were attracting from the people around them. He could have sworn he saw knowing smirks on most of their faces. She walked away pulling him by his hand, which he noticed was still entwined in hers. After getting to a less crowded area she turned to look at him and he took the chance to look at her properly.

Her figure was the definition of beauty. For one mad moment he thought she couldn't be human. There was no way someone as perfect as her could be considered normal or standard. He had seen muggle models but she put each and every one of them to shame. She asked him something in French and as she spoke, Harry noticed her voice was melodious, almost as if there were chimes within her vocal chords.

"I'm sorry, I'm not fluent in French," he said apologetically, cursing himself inwardly for never learning it. She easily switched to an accented version of English.

"I just wanted to apologize for ze way I walked into you."

He smiled at this. "It's alright, I wasn't watching where I was going either."

She laughed making his heart skip a few beats. _Dammit how can she have such an effect on me? _

"Well zen we are both at fault non? My name iz Fleur Delacour. Who iz it zat I 'ave ze pleasure of meeting with?"

He almost gave her a different name, but changed his mind at the last moment, for some reason he had wanted to see what would happen if she didn't know who he really was. But then he realized it would be a stupid move seeing as she only had to look closer at his scar if she had any doubts about who he was.

"Harry, Harry Potter." Her eyes widened and performed the all too familiar movement towards his head. He twitched irritably at the motion, something that was not missed by Fleur, it seemed.

"Iz something ze matter 'Arry?" she asked in concern. Harry found that he loved the way she said his name.

"No, well….it's just, I don't like when people stare at my scar first, and then me second," he tried to explain. "It's sometimes the only thing people notice about me." He trailed off hoping she'd understand. He had no idea why he said it, but he saw that her eyes were shining brightly in understanding.

"I understand," she said warmly. "Anyway, I 'ope you are staying for as long as ze match will go."

He grinned. "Yeah, where are you going to be seated?"

Her face fell a little at his question. "In ze top box with ze British Minister of Magic."

He felt elated at her words when he realized they were going to be at the same place. "Us too Fleur! My best friend's dad got tickets for us at the top box!"

Her face lit up. "Excellent! I will 'ave someone to talk to zen." She smiled at him. He nodded and she looked down at her watch on her wrist. "Zut! I'm sorry 'Arry but I 'ave an errand I need to run. I will see you at ze match then?"

"Yes," Harry replied smiling widely. He couldn't explain it but he couldn't wait to see her again. He wanted to find out more about her. He couldn't understand it, he had seen plenty of beautiful girls before at Hogwarts, even talked to them but he had never felt such a burning need to talk to them, to know them. Yes she was far more gorgeous than any of them but there was something...different about her. For some reason he knew that she really understood how he felt about his scar.

She smiled at him and gently squeezed his hand , releasing it before walking away. It was only then that he realized his hand had been in hers the whole time without him realizing it.

"Harry! Who in the world was that?" A loud voice sounded behind him. He turned to find a red faced Ron that was glaring at him.

"I just bumped into her," he said lamely, noticing that Ron was looking at Fleur's retreating figure with a dazed look in his eyes. He shook his head and kept glaring at him, muttering something incomprehensible, and started walking back to their camp. Harry sighed and followed.

He had noticed that Ron had a little jealousy problem from, especially while at Hogwarts. He remained silent for the whole time until they finally reached their tent. Everyone was chatting, in high spirits about who would be most likely to win the cup.

"It's got to be Ireland, they have the best chasers in the world and their seeker isn't bad either," Charlie said while he ate a chocolate frog. The twins faces cracked into identical, evil grins.

"Care to make a bet then oh wise, elder one?" both of them said simultaneously. Everyone chortled before Bill spoke up.

"I want in on this, what's the bet?" he asked ignoring his father, Percy and Hermione's disapproving looks.

The twins spoke with each other and quickly pooled their money on to the table. "We bet that Ireland wins…" Fred started to which Charlie immediately started protesting, "hold your horses let me finish. We bet that Ireland wins but Krum gets the snitch," he finished winking at Ron whose ears had gone red again.

Bill and Charlie laughed but accepted the bet. Mr Weasley looked torn between deciding whether to stop it or turn a blind eye. Deciding on the latter he got up, stretching. "Alright, we should be making our way to the stands then. There are a few things I want to buy from the vendors before the match."

Everyone cheered and stepped outside to loud singing and laughter. Hermione sidled up next to him holding Ginny's hand and jerked her head towards Ron. "What's the matter with him?"

Harry sighed. "I met someone and he got this way." He didn't want to say anything more in case she wasn't really at the top box, in which case he'd just make a fool of himself. Hermione nodded before they walked on and soon they came up to a number of carts all laden with merchandise consisting of posters, figures and other strange looking instruments. There was even a Quidditch supplies store where a Firebolt was on display and he gazed at it proudly with a rush of affection for his godfather who had sent it to him last year. Everyone dispersed and he walked up to the cart with the strange instruments. They actually looked a little like binoculars. The shopkeeper smiled at him when he walked up.

"What are these?" he asked.

"These sir, are omnoculars. They allow you to zoom in and out, focus on different parts of the game at once. It even has a play-by-play function."

"How much?"

"10 galleons each, but I can reduce it to 7," the man replied, his eyes twinkling.

"3 pairs," he said firmly and handed over his money, taking the omnoculars. He went to find Ron and Hermione and found that they were huddled around a cart with bright green and red rosettes along with programs and moving figures of the players. Ron had already bought a moving figure of Krum who was scowling up at him from his hand while Hermione had some programs in her arms.

"Here, early Christmas presents," he said brightly, giving each of them a pair.

"Thanks Harry!" Hermione squealed while Ron grinned broadly. "Yeah, thanks mate"

Fred and George came up behind them. Neither had anything as they had bet all of their money along with Bill and Charlie. Mr Weasley and Percy however were wearing bright green rosettes.

"Alright then, off we go," Mr Weasley said, his voice laced with excitement. They walked on with a large group of people who were shouting in loud voices; Harry kept fingering his wand for comfort, feeling gazes on him as he walked. He hated having people stare at him because of the fact that he was the boy who lived. Nobody stopped to look past that except his friends. They found a Ministry official outside the large stadium, inspecting tickets. He spotted Mr Weasley and beckoned him over, tearing their tickets and handing them the stubs.

"Top box Arthur, as high up as you can go," he said. They climbed up the wooden staircase and he was amazed at the sheer size of it. It was easily the length of a few football fields and each and every corner of it was packed with people. The sounds of singing and screaming were almost deafening. As soon as they reached the top they found it was stretched out and Harry immediately recognized Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, along with another exotic looking wizard. Percy bowed low when he saw the Minister causing his glasses to slip off and crack. With a death glare at Harry, who the Minister greeted like a nephew, he sat down at the far right corner along with the rest of the Weasleys and Hermione, who were trying hard not to laugh.

"Harry my boy, this is the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, Mr Ivane…Iven…oh, something." He saw that the Bulgarian Minister was staring at him openly. As soon as his eyes found his scar he started jabbering excitedly in a foreign language.

"Well, at least that's effective" Fudge said grinning before he sat down. Just then a group of people came from behind them and he felt his heart skip a couple of beats when he recognized the silver haired witch. Her eyes met his and he moved towards her away from Fudge to let the man who he presumed was Fleur's father greet the Minister.

"'Arry! Come 'ere zere iz a person I'd like you to meet," she said smiling her beautiful smile at him, which made him feel strangely light headed, and pulled a miniature version of herself in front of her from where she was hiding behind Fleur's body. "Zis iz my sister, Gabrielle. She 'az been dying to meet you."

He grinned at the little girl, who blushed furiously when he offered her his arm, though she took it slowly. "Hi," he said softly making her giggle and run to a rather tall, breathtakingly beautiful woman with the same hair and eyes as Fleur. The woman's eyes fell on Harry and she smiled graciously, shaking Harry's hand.

"A pleasure to meet you mister 'Arry Potter, I am Appolline Delacour," she said in a soft voice, her eyes shifting a fraction of a second to his scar.

"You too Mrs Delacour," he said nervously when the tall, brown haired man walked up to him ,smiling slightly and grasping his hand. He introduced himself as Dominique Delacour. He turned around to find his seat next to Hermione and shifted uncomfortably when he found all of the Weasleys staring open-mouthed at Fleur and her mother. It was then that he realized that even Fudge and the Bulgarian Minister were looking at them with slightly dazed looks on their faces.

Ignoring the Weasleys looks of jealousy, particularly from Ron, Harry sat down next to Hermione, who hurriedly leaned into him.

"Harry, that's a veela," she whispered urgently at him while Fred and George whistled quietly and gave him a thumbs up, causing him to blush. Fleur came and sat right next to him with her sister sitting on her left.

"I zink you and your friends go to 'Ogwarts?" Fleur asked, turning to look at him.

"Yeah, which school do you go to?" he asked her curiously.

"Beauxbatons….eet's in France," she added seeing his blank expression. They talked on happily while waiting for the people to fill into the seats.

He was amazed at how easily he could talk to her, even though he had met her only a few hours ago. He was a little disappointed when he found she was 2 years older than him but immediately pushed it out of his mind. Soon a blonde haired wizard walked in wearing brightly colored robes and sat behind a speaker's podium.

"Are you ready Minister?" he asked.

"Ready when you are Ludo," Fudge said comfortably.

Immediately the blonde wizard spoke into his wand, and his voice sounded as if it were coming out of a microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome! To the 422nd Quidditch World Cup!" His words were met with an explosion of cheering and Harry could see about a dozen omnoculars flashing in their direction. "Join me in welcoming the Irish team! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Connolly! Quigley! Ryan! Annnnnd Lynch!" He yelled as seven green blurs shot out from the ground into the sky. Green fireworks erupted around them, giving a spectacular show. Harry heard Gabrielle squeal in delight as a flashing Leprechaun formed and started dancing.

Harry used his omnioculars and trained them onto Lynch who he found was a short, leniently built man with a moustache. He zoomed in further to see the golden lettering 'Firebolt' written on his broom.

Bagman began to announce the opposing side. "Now, let's give a big hand and welcome the Bulgarian team! Ivanova! Dimitrov! Levski! Volkov! Vulchanov! Zograf! Annnnnd Krum!" The screams got louder at the mention of Krum as seven red blurs shot out. Harry hurriedly trained his omnoculars on Krum to find him exactly the way he was in the miniature figure of himself that Ron had. Suddenly the crowd started yelling and whistling when a large group of silver haired cheerleaders walked onto the field wearing scarlet outfits. Music suddenly began and they started dancing, making the crowd go wild. Harry noticed that Fleur stiffened at the sight of them, just like her mother who was watching with an expression of distaste. He was suddenly aware that the Weasleys were all standing along with everyone else in the top box, craning to get a better look at them.

"Honestly!" Hermione said as she tried to pull down Ron, who was goggling at them through his omnioculars. Only Harry, Hermione, Fleur and her family were seated and Harry saw Fleur and her mother looking at him in surprise. He gave Fleur a questioning look and she shook her head and smiled at him. Soon they stopped dancing to the angry roars of the crowd and Bagman sat back down.

"The referee for this match is Hassan Mostafa," he told the crowd, and Harry saw a short, bald man walk onto the field with his arm around a huge crate. He set it down on the floor and looked around before mounting his broom.

"Let the match begin!" Bagman screamed to the roar of the crowd and Mostafa kicked open the crate and immediately the two bludgers pelted out while the red Quaffle rose vertically. Harry also caught sight of a golden speck in the distance before it disappeared. The game was the fastest he had ever seen and the Irish chasers were far superior to the Bulgarian ones. They handled the Quaffle between them so fast that Bagman only had enough time to say their names.

The game progressed on until the score was 130-10 with Ireland in the lead. As the Irish chasers increased their score, suddenly Krum went into a spectacular dive followed closely by Lynch, but pulled up at the last second, causing Lynch to crash as he pulled away with the golden snitch in his hand. The stadium went quiet until a roar slowly grew and the Irish supporters were yelling themselves hoarse as the scoreboard displayed 170-160. The twins cheered loudly and Harry heard the loud groans coming from Bill and Charlie. Fleur laughed and cheered along with everyone and soon the two teams were standing in front of them while Fudge presented the gleaming silver cup to the captain of the Irish team.

"Everyone give it up for the winners of the World Cup; Ireland!" Bagman yelled to the deafening roars that were sounding throughout the stadium.

After the round of excitement (and a big hand to the Bulgarian team, Krum in particular) the crowd started filing out.

Outside Fleur gripped his hand. "I will zee you tomorrow before we go back, I 'ope?"

He grinned and nodded. "Looking forward to it. Bye Gabrielle," he added, looking at the little girl who nodded vigorously before holding onto her mother's hand. After saying his goodbyes to the French family Harry went to join the Weasleys, who were waiting for him a short distance away.

"Great catch Harry," Fred said in admiration while the rest of them looked towards Fleur's figure wistfully. Ron was avoiding his eye while Mr Weasley was smiling at him with a twinkle in his eye.

"W..what? She's just a friend," he stammered looking at them and going red in the face.

"Veela are a little hard to handle Harry," Mr Weasley said to loud laughter from the twins and Bill and Charlie. He blushed and looked away, noticing that Ron was looking at him angrily. They turned away and started walking in the direction of their tent while the twins gloated about the money they had won, much to Bill and Charlie's displeasure. Back at the tent they had a cup of hot chocolate and soon started talking about the impressive plays used by the Irish chasers.

"Thank Merlin Wood isn't Captain anymore. He would work the girls to death trying to get them to reach that level," Fred said and Harry agreed.

Ginny fell asleep on the table after a few more hours of endless Quidditch talk and Mr Weasley announced that it was time they all went to bed. Harry climbed onto his bed, ignoring Ron, who still hadn't said a word to him, and stared at the blank canvas above him. He felt himself go red again as he remembered the beautiful sapphire pair of eyes that had rested on him, and slowly drifted off to sleep , his dreams were centered on a certain silver haired witch.

* * *

All too suddenly he was shaken awake by a worried Mr Weasley.

"Harry! Wake up. Something's gone wrong." He heard screams and maniacal laughter in the background and suddenly a fire erupted just outside their tent, accompanied by a loud bang. Harry immediately pulled on his glasses and picked up his wand, running outside with Mr Weasley to where everyone was assembled. Farther away he could see a group of people wearing masks and dark robes , marching in their direction laughing and blasting aside tents, firing curses at people.

"Fred! George! Take Ginny and run into the forest. Stay there until everything is sorted out. Harry, Ron, Hermione, go with them as well. We will come to get you," Mr Weasley cried, pulling out his wand and running to a group of Ministry wizards who were angrily shouting and pulling out their wands. Bill, Charlie and Percy took off after him and Fred, George and Ginny broke into a run towards the trees. Hermione gripped Harry's and Ron's hands and pulled them after Fred and George as they were violently jostled by the panicking people around them, all who were intent on getting away from the campsite and the screaming hordes of masked figures.

Hermione screamed something incomprehensible. Harry felt her grip on his hand loosen as he lost sight of them in the crowd. Gritting his teeth he allowed himself to be pushed along with the crowd away from the campsite and looked around. He could find no trace of the Weasleys and Hermione. He held out his wand and trudged on, following the crowd running into the forest.

"_Lumos" _he muttered, lighting his wand as he walked on, hoping to find the others. Loud screams suddenly tore through the air and Harry heard a muffled yell coming from his side. He immediately ran in the direction of the screams to find 5 cloaked figures huddled around two people. They were laughing, one of them holding a wand tauntingly over them. His voice grew into a snarl when he realized the two people on the ground were none other than Fleur and her sister. Fleur had tears in her eyes as she held Gabrielle, who was openly crying. Her blouse was ripped and one of the men was trying to completely rip it off.

"_Stupefy!"_ he yelled pointing his wand at the man next to Fleur, who immediately toppled over, stunned. The other four started firing curses at him which Harry dodged before pointing his wand and yelling "_Expelliarmus"_ causing one of them to be thrown backwards. They hit the tree with a sickening crunch as the other's wand flew out of his hand. Suddenly he felt a large pressure on his head and his legs gave out from under him as he staggered, his vision swimming as he saw one of the brutes holding a rod dripping with blood. Blood? He brought his hand gingerly to the back of his head. _My blood._

The remaining men were laughing as he fell to his knees. His eyes couldn't focus on anything as he desperately tried to see where Fleur and Gabrielle were. He glanced back at the man who walked up to him, still holding the rod as he took a fistful of his hair and shook him by the head, making him scream in pain. He could also hear a distinct female voice.

When he finally let go he turned, trying to get his eyes to focus. "What are you? Muggles?" he rasped.

"Feisty aren't you?" The man next to Fleur walked up to him and he looked up to see a disturbing smirk on the man's face. "Been awhile since I've done this. _Crucio."_

Pain. Agonizing pain tore through him. He couldn't stop the strangled yell that escaped his lips as the man slowly moved his wand steadily upwards making him feel like his chest was being ripped apart.

Suddenly, the man holding the rod dropped like a wooden doll and he could just make out Fleur, who had somehow acquired her wand, turning it on the man who was looking around wildly with panic as she blasted him away in a flash of white, her face contorted in fury. She and Gabrielle immediately rushed to him and she pulled him onto her arms and said something that Harry couldn't hear.

He felt her warm hands around him and caught sight of her father, who had his wand trained on the man that cursed him, staring down at Harry with a worried expression. He could see Fleur's lips moving, her desperate expression, but there was no sound.

He couldn't hold on any longer and slipped into the darkness that covered him.

* * *

Harry opened his eyes slowly and a blinding headache immediately took over, making him cry out in pain. He heard rushing footsteps and immediately he felt a soft hand on his head. After a moment he felt his head ache fade away and opened his eyes again carefully.

He caught sight of the same pair of eyes from his dreams and grinned tiredly. Fleur immediately threw her arms around him and pulled him into an embrace. He felt a tickle when she place her lips on his ear.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He heard more footsteps and he realized he was lying on a bed in a rather large tent. His eyes caught sight of Hermione, who ran at him and pulled him into a hug as soon as Fleur let go. Mr Weasley came up behind her and Harry could see his face was pale. The rest of the Weasleys came in and immediately fired questions at Harry, making his head hurt again. He immediately grabbed his head, trying to soothe the pain.

He felt a comforting hand grip his and turned to see Fleur looking at him worriedly. He noticed Gabrielle was also next to her, looking at him with a scared expression on his face. He smiled lightly and reached out and stroked her head, immediately making her smile.

"Harry how are you feeling?" Mr Weasley asked tentatively. Harry grimaced.

"Like someone beat my head with a bludger." The Weasleys faces cracked into smiles and Harry felt some of the tension vanish. Dominique walked into the room closely followed by his wife, a grateful look on his face.

"Thank you Harry for saving my daughters." He felt himself blushing at his words. "They are all sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban for their crimes of attempted rape and for the use of the cruciatus curse on a fellow human being." Hermione and the Weasleys gasped, apparently they hadn't known Harry was subjected to the cruciatus curse.

"Are you sure you're alright Harry?" Bill asked in a low voice. Harry nodded slowly.

"Only a little sore, otherwise I'm fine." He suddenly jerked involuntarily as a spasm of pain tore through him which wasn't gone unnoticed by anyone.

"You have a scar that was caused by the curse Harry, I'm sorry but it can't be removed," Dominique said looking at him worriedly.

"It's alright sir. I'm used to scars at this point," he said lightly, trying to make a joke.

"Harry if you're up to it we need to leave. The portkey is scheduled to go in half an hour. Molly is really worried sick about you and the Ministry are sealing off this entire area."

He nodded and groaned a little when he pushed himself off the bed, grabbing Fleur's hand for help. He sat up unsteadily and took a moment to steady himself.

"Why? What happened last night?" he asked, trying to remember.

"We'll fill you in later Harry, but right now we need to go," Mr Weasley said with a worried look at Dominique, who nodded at him.

He nodded and stood up, swaying slightly as Fleur helped him steady himself with a tender expression on her face. Apolline suddenly pulled him into a hug and he was embarrassed to find that she had tears in her eyes.

"We are forever in debt to you 'Arry," she said in a muffled voice. It was then that he realized with a sharp pang of disappointment that he probably wouldn't see Fleur again. He turned to her just before he stepped outside, unsure of what to say to her. Will he ever see her again?

"Fleur..." He was silenced when she pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek, lingering for a moment and making his face warm up. He noticed Dominique and Apolline were smiling slightly when she pulled away from him, her face slightly pink.

"I will write to you 'Arry," she said with a small smile, "we will be zeeing each uzzer again soon."

He opened his mouth in confusion but she shook her head putting a finger to his lips. He nodded and after getting a hug from Gabrielle and a final wave at the Delacours he joined the Weasleys and Hermione. Mr Weasley immediately put an arm around him and helped him walk when Harry stumbled slightly.

They met with a Ministry official who immediately let them through a large line when he recognized Harry. They were immediately given a portkey and after the brief uncomfortable sensation that followed they found themselves right in front of the Burrow with Mrs Weasley standing outside.

Harry immediately felt his head spin when their feet slammed onto the ground and Bill and Charlie immediately helped him stand while Mrs Weasley pulled him into a hug and cried into his shoulder. After a few awkward moments she pulled away from him and hugged her husband. Harry noticed a paper lying on the ground with a large picture of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth with the headline _The Dark Mark as seen on the night of the Quidditch World Cup_.

"There there Molly, we're alright. We need to get Harry to a bed soon though," he added and Harry was immediately walked into the Burrow and up the stairs, against his protests. When Harry was tucked into his bed in Ron's room Hermione sat at the foot of his bed while Ron sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Harry could feel his eyes shutting slowly.

"What happened yesterday?" he asked looking at Ron and Hermione.

"Later Harry, we'll fill you in once you've had your rest," Hermione said while Ron nodded in agreement.

Harry tried to protest but felt his eyes shut slowly and soon his dreams took him to the arms of Fleur Delacour, where they were alone without a care in the world.

* * *

**AN: I started writing this about a day ago after I had finished almost all the HarryxFleur stories I could find and due to the frustration of seeing every single one of the ones that I liked being abandoned I went on ahead and wrote my own. This will be a Harry/Fleur pairing only, no one else will join them.**

**Edit - PLEASE don't ask about the Cruciatus curse and its effects until you have read the next chapter.**

**Also, this should be treated as an AU story. I will be sticking to canon events for the 4th year since the Triwizard tournament is one of the only highlights of the whole series.**

**Oh, and if you dislike seeing selective Weasleys being bashed, a falling out of the so called 'golden trio' (Idk who coined the term, its catchy but oh so lame at the same time), Hermione not being the answer machine, guidance counselor, and/or best friend for Harry, you will not like this story. It's not exactly Granger bashing...just think of it as putting a lot of distance between the two. I'm putting this up on the first chapter so you know what to expect and don't be disappointed later on if you were expecting this to be just like canon. There are enough stories along those lines as it is.**

**This story also features a smarter Harry... a Harry that should have been in Ravenclaw or Slytherin. He will not be as dependent on people as in canon. So yes, he will gradually become less like the person he was in canon. ****I cannot stress just how important the fact that Harry's character changing is. Even though he starts canon-ish he definitely will change and I will be working on his character a great deal over the course of this story. If you hate seeing differences from canon, you will NOT like this story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! I was shocked to find so many people adding this to their alerts and favs, you guys made my day! Special thanks to everyone that reviewed. As a token of my gratitude to everyone, here ya go.**

**Enjoy!**

**(Since Fleur and her family speak in French while amongst themselves…when they speak in French it will be in Italics. I can't remember the French lessons from school…only a few words. So depressing) **

**CHAPTER 2**

"_Fleur? What's wrong_?" Fleur gave a start and was brought out of her reverie to find her father gazing at her. She felt her face warm a little when she realized her mother and sister were both watching her closely too. They were in the middle of having dinner and she had hardly touched her food at all.

"_Nothing papa, just thinking…" _She immediately regretted her words when she saw her mother's eye glint mischievously.

"_It wouldn't be about a certain dark haired young man would it?_" She asked slyly causing her father to choke on his food while her sister grinned at her.

"_Maman!" _She exclaimed looking up blushing slightly while her mother grinned at her. Her father chuckled after getting his back thumped by his amused wife.

"_He is a strange one isn't he? And a very honorable one at that. There aren't many that would have done what he did_" He said softly. Fleur quickly finished her food and wanting to get away from the talk that was making her uncomfortable she quickly excused herself and went to her room but not before she caught sight of the smirks on both her parent's faces. She sighed softly when she laid down in her bed and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts stray back to the night of the world cup…and him.

She didn't really like going to the Quidditch world cup, but she knew that her parents would have been heartbroken if she refused. Her father was the head of the Auror department of the French ministry and due to his many accomplishments and out of gratitude to his services they were invited to attend the world cup with the English minister for magic which she knew was an honor granted to a few. She hated mixing with large crowds of people because it was always the same thing over and over for her. Being a part veela meant that there were only a few that could even hope to match her in her beauty. Neither she nor her mother could walk amongst other people without attracting the lust filled gazes of men and the jealous looks of women. But due to her young age she drew almost all of the attention and she hated it. No matter how angry her parents got at the looks she got from strangers there weren't any laws to prevent it. The veela have a natural charm that draws people in and they had no way to stop it. Because of that she only had a few close friends at school. The boys wanted nothing more than to get close to her and the girls were extremely jealous of her. Because of this, she couldn't trust a lot of people other than her three dear friends, Amy, Aurélie and Caroline.

When they had arrived at the campsite on the day of the match, she learnt that they were going to be seated at the top box along with the minister for magic. She was a little disappointed because it meant she wouldn't be able to meet with her friends who she knew would be attending the world cup. Which also meant that she would no doubt be squirming under the gazes of the people with her. A few hours before the match she had met with her three friends, all of who were beyond excited for the match. Fleur never understood what was so good about Quidditch. In her opinion it was even a little barbaric.

Amy is a very outgoing blonde haired girl who looked up to Fleur like she would a sister. Aurélie was her best friend since her childhood. She had pale blue hair which was extremely uncommon even for a witch and she had a cute, heart shaped face making her one of the targets of the boys in her school apart from Fleur. Although she wasn't as sought after as Fleur, she was one of the few that Fleur knew could understand the situation she was in. Lastly, Caroline who was a mischievous, pretty red haired witch. She has a very brazen personality and she had her fun constantly seducing whoever she found worthwhile and losing interest within a day.

After spending some time happily with her friends she had left to rejoin her family ignoring the small feeling of jealousy that flared in her thinking about those three together while she was soon going to be uncomfortable under the gazes of those around her in the top box. She noticed while she made her way back that she was attracting many stares from the wizards around her who all had rather hungry looks on their faces when they gazed at her. She could smell the reek of alcohol in the air and she knew that she had to make her way back as soon as possible before anyone of the simple minded fools decided to make a move on her. She was so intent of getting away back to her family when she walked blindly into a passing stranger and in her surprise and sudden fear she pushed him away only to find herself dragged down with him.

When her she opened her eyes after the initial shock she found herself staring at the most beautiful pair of eyes she had ever seen. Two bright, swirling pools of emerald that seemed to draw her in. She found that the man lying underneath her had his hand in hers and that his hand was surprisingly smooth. She suddenly felt her heart skip a beat when she took in the handsome features of the young man lying under her and for a moment she lost control of her allure and it came out in full blast. She was always limiting it but she felt the dam break at that moment. She could have sworn that he had almost leaned into her.

She was shocked when he asked her nervously to get up. It was then that she decided that she wanted to find out a little bit more about him and she couldn't help but smile when she saw he was extremely embarrassed and red in the face. After moving to a more secluded place away from the stares of the people around them she was amazed to find that he was none other than Harry Potter. His scar was barely visible due to his hair covering it. He had twitched slightly when her eyes moved to his scar and his explanation surprised her. No, it more than surprised her. She felt like he was someone who she could relate to easily seeing as their situations weren't too different from each other. People saw both of them as if through an illusion. She was elated when she found that he was going to be at the top box. She couldn't explain it but she was more than happy to find she could meet him again.

She smiled when she introduced Gabrielle to Harry, her sister had made a huge fuss when she mentioned she had met Harry Potter and she could tell that her sister had a little crush on him. She caught sight of a large group of red haired people all of whom were eyeing her and Harry, she presumed they were Harry's friends and that the elderly man would be Harry's friend's dad that got the tickets. She smiled at him and he nodded at her kindly but the rest of them were giving her the same look she got from most men and was immediately disgusted with them.

Ignoring them and the red haired girl who sent her a look of pure jealousy along with the brown haired girl who stared at her with a calculating expression she sat next to Harry and talked to him and she was pleased to find that he seemed to enjoy speaking to her and with a jolt of surprise, she found that she herself was comfortable speaking to him. She was surprised to find that he was only 14 years old but it hardly bothered her after her initial flare of surprise. His eyes had a darkened, tired look on them that she had seen countless times on her father that gave away his maturity and wondered what he could have seen to have those kind of eyes at his age. The bright gleam that appeared on his eye whenever their eyes met made her feel warm and comfortable, something that she believed until then that her father was the only one capable of doing.

After match everything seemed to go wrong. After some wizards started a riot she was separated from her parents with Gabrielle holding onto her hand. Her father had gone to help subdue the group and her mother was lost to the panicked crowd. As soon as they reached the forest though she and Gabrielle were grabbed violently by five hideous men all of who reeked with alcohol and had a savage look in their eyes. Fleur had screamed and tried to draw out her wand but one of the men just wrenched it out of her hand and all Fleur could do was to hug Gabrielle tightly to her to protect her.

At this point, Fleur suddenly shivered even though the window in her room was closed and she drew her knees up to her body and wrapped her hands tightly around her knees forcing herself to take deep, calm breaths. She had been the victim of many violent attempts like this ever since she was a child and it had scarred her in a way that she could barely stand up to a man's touch. A small smile crept on her face when she remembered how comfortable it was when she felt Harry's hand on hers. Normally that sort of close proximity with any boy would have repulsed her and sent shivers down her spine but when she found herself staring at Harry at that moment on the ground gazing at each other she had instead felt warm along with another emotion she couldn't place.

Her eyes grew dark when she remembered a particularly cruel faced man tear at her clothes with a knife and it all seemed like a blur before she was staring wide eyed at Harry who had suddenly appeared from the edge of the forest. Her heart froze when a man suddenly hit Harry's head with a large rod and another used the unforgivable curse on him making him cry out in agony. She was beside herself with worry when she finally got to him with her father's assistance who arrived shortly at the scene, his face contorted in fury while Fleur managed to stun her captor. She had never felt so scared her whole life when she watched Harry pass out in her arms and it took much reassuring from her father to calm her down.

When Harry had finally woken up after a few hours back in their tent she couldn't stop herself from hugging him. She found the sensation incredibly comforting and she was reluctant to let go when the others came in. Her eyes caught sight of a darkened scar that stretched across his chest when she drew back and was startled because she had never heard of the cruiciatus curse leaving physical damage. She hated that it was because of her that he had suffered more pain.

When she heard Mr Weasley suggest to move Harry she almost protested but fell silent with a look from her mother who was looking on at them from the door leading to the room. She noticed Harry sway slightly and immediately held him steady, enjoying the feeling of being close to him. She noticed the look of sadness in his eyes when he turned to her just before he stepped outside and at that moment she did something she had never even dreamed of doing pulled him into a hug and pressed her lips against his cheek softly and almost smiled when she felt him warm up considerably at her touch. She knew they would meet again because of the Triwizard tournament that was going to be held at Hogwarts but from what she had gathered from her conversations with him she knew that he had no clue about it.

Smiling at the prospect of meeting him again she got up from her bed and walked to the window and pushed it open letting the crisp night air wash over her room. Suddenly remembering her promise to him and anxious to know if he was feeling better she pulled out a quill from her desk drawer with a piece of parchment and began to write. After she was done she addressed it to the Burrow where he had told her was spending the rest of his summer at and after gently prodded her tawny owl awake that was sleeping on the perch near the window and she watched him fly away before she turned got back to bed. Her eyes caught sight of the calendar hanging on the wall and realized with a jolt that she would be turning seventeen in a few days' time. She couldn't remember if she had told Harry about her birthday during their talk during the match and wondered if Harry and her friends from school would remember it. After a few moments of staring up at the ceiling she finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Harry was a little sore the next day when he woke up. After a few moments he pulled himself up ignoring the slight headache as he did so and slipped on his glasses before looking around at the room. He sighed when he realized that he was alone and that Ron had probably gone down for breakfast and he could faintly hear voices coming from downstairs. After washing up he changed his clothes and immediately froze when he caught sight of a rather long scar that ran diagonally from a little below his right shoulder stopping halfway across his stomach. After eyeing it for a few moments he sighed and pulled on a shirt and a pair of shorts that were laid out for him and slowly made his way downstairs. When he walked into the dining table he was surprised to find Mr Weasley and Dumbledore deep in conversation. Dumbledore immediately stood up smiling at him with his ever present twinkle in his eye.

"Harry! Feeling a little better I hope?" He asked kindly. Harry, who was a little taken aback by the headmaster's presence smiled back faintly at him.

"I think so sir"

"Alright then, if you will be seated? There are a few matters I wish to discuss with you" He said a little seriously. Harry nodded and sat in front of Dumbledore while Mr Weasley smiled reassuringly at him before getting up and excusing himself.

"I think that you will need to know what happened at the night of the match?" Dumbledore asked and Harry nodded. He passed Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet that he had seen yesterday and Harry stared at the Dark Mark on the front page. He noticed the caption at the bottom.

_You know who's personal mark which appeared on the night of the Quidditch world cup. This hadn't been seen in 14 years since the fateful day that the boy who lived triumphed over the dark lord…_It went on but Harry quickly looked up from the paper.

"Voldemort's mark?" He asked.

"The very same. It seems that some of the death eaters who roamed free had finally released their inhibitions on that day" Dumbledore said quietly. Noticing the confused look on Harry's face he added "Death eaters Harry, that was what Voldemort's underlings called themselves."

"Did they find who did it?"

"No. Some of them think that a house elf conjured it, more precisely, the house elf belonging to a Barty Crouch who is the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I believe your friends Ron and Hermione were present at the time they found the house elf with a wand in her hands"

"A house elf? Conjure the Dark mark?" He asked skeptically. Dumbledore chuckled softly.

"I see we are of the same mind. But we can't do anything for her and I believe miss Granger was most displeased. Now, onto present matters then ." Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I have been in contact with Sirius and he told me about your vision. He is extremely worried about you now and the news that you were attacked and subjected to the cruiciatus curse has only served to increase his anger and he demands that we make arrangements so that he can be close to his godson" Harry groaned, he wanted to see Sirius but didn't he know that his life would be in danger if he returned to England with the entire ministry looking for him?

"I have made arrangements" Dumbledore said causing his mouth to open in shock.

"B..but how? Sir if he comes here he will be in danger…" Dumbledore held up his hand silencing, him.

"It will be taken care of; Sirius will have a place to stay in Hogsmeade. I have also asked him to help prepare you and train you further in dueling to which he readily consented. Him and Professor Lupin will be training you at Hogwarts, you will find out more about that later" Dumbledore added with a smile seeing Harry open his mouth again. After a few moments had passed Harry finally voiced his question.

"Why?"

Dumbledore sighed and looked at him carefully, "We cannot ignore the signs. Ever since I heard of your vision I decided that we must prepare for the worst should it come to pass. There is still one more thing that I have yet to tell you about but I don't think that now is the time" He paused and looked expectantly at Harry who had tried several times to speak and after a few painful moments, he nodded in agreement.

"I heard about your actions that night Harry and I must say you have made me proud yet again. The Delacours are quite taken with you" Dumbledore's customary twinkle was back in full force and chuckled when he saw his embarrassment.

"Anyone would have helped sir"

"No, that is where you're wrong. It came at a price and yet you didn't hold them responsible"

"How can anyone hold them responsible? What those men were going to do to Fleur was much worse than what they did to me" He said quietly and he looked up to see Dumbledore looking at him with pride.

"I am sorry that you had to experience such a thing as the Cruciatus curse at such a young age. That curse is known to have driven older wizards mad with pain" Harry winced slightly when he remembered the sensation.

"I can imagine" He whispered.

"I apologize again about your scar." Dumbledore said sadly. "The Cruciatus curse…indeed all of the unforgivable curses never leave marks and yet here you are standing with two visible signs that you have face the worst of them…the curse that took the lives of your parents." He added at Harry's questioning look. "Spells strengthen with emotions Harry. The man that used it on you was one of Voldemort's most loyal supporters who had managed to elude capture for 14 years. He was known to have particularly enjoyed torturing countless muggles and wizards with the Cruciatus curse which is a specialty of his. What with the alcohol and the heightened emotions on that day you faced one of the worst forms of the curse that only a few wizards have faced. The wizard in question was subjected to the Dementor's kiss yesterday due to his crimes and the rest of the men were sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban"

Silence followed and after a long moment Dumbledore stood up. "Well then you will return to Hogwarts in a few weeks. This year will be an interesting one. I must be off, I have a few things I need to take care of." He said with his eyes twinkling again. Harry grinned and bade the headmaster good bye and watched him walk out and disappear on the spot. He turned around wondering where the rest of the Weasleys and Hermione were and soon found Mr Weasley out back in the shed tinkering with some of the muggle gadgets that he had picked up.

"Harry! Dumbledore left?" Mr Weaskey asked when he saw him approaching.

"Yeah…mister Weasley, where are the others?" He asked curiously.

"They went to Diagon Alley, Molly wanted to buy all the things for school this year. You needed your rest and Dumbledore wanted to speak with you privately. They should be done by now though" Mr Weasley added with a thoughtful expression on his face. He walked back inside and up to the room he shared with Ron.

His thoughts once again strayed to Fleur and wondered when she would write to him. He felt his cheeks heat up when he remembered the feeling of Fleur's lips on his cheek and sat comfortably his bed after pulling out his copy of Quidditch through the ages and began to read forgetting about breakfast. He was soon fast asleep with the book lying forgotten next to him.

All too soon he was shaken awake by a worried looking Hermione.

"Harry? You hardly ever sleep in the afternoon. What's wrong?"

"Nothing Hermione, just tired I guess" He said slowly pushing himself up and realized he had fallen asleep with his glasses on. He caught sight of a few packages lying on the floor when Ron walked in. "Got everything?" He asked.

"Yes, we got everything. Even all your stuff" Hermione said eyeing him while he got up and stretched.

"Thanks"

"Hey Harry, do you know why we're supposed to have dress robes?" Ron asked sitting on his bed.

"Dress robes?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly.

"Yeah, it's in everyone's school list" Ron said pointing disgustedly at a pair a set of robes that had a rather large collar on it with frills around it making it look ridiculous.

"No way, is that yours?" Ron nodded and he was suddenly filled with a sense of dread when he thought what his looked like.

"Let's go down, mom told us to come and get wake you for lunch" Ron said and got up and left the room. He made to follow but was stopped when Hermione pulled him aside.

"That one has yours…" She whispered in his ear pointing at a parcel at the side. "They're a lot better than Ron's but don't let him know" She too went down and he ripped open the parcel curiously. He felt a sigh of relief escape him. His were almost the same as his school robes except that the lining was emerald green. Quickly he stuffed it inside his trunk and went down to find the Weasleys and Hermione except for Percy and Mr Weasley already seated and Mrs Weasley immediately started handing out plates and soon they were tucking into some of Mrs Weasley's best dishes.

"You alright now Harry?" Charlie asked him from across the table.

"Yeah, thanks" He smiled back at him.

"Charlie, cmon tell us, what's happening at Hogwarts?" Fred whined while Charlie, Bill and Mrs Weasley's faces broke into knowing smirks.

"You're all going to have a very interesting year" Bill said chuckling slightly.

"Yeah, makes me wish I was back in Hogwarts" Charlie said with a dreamy look on his face.

"What's happening in Hogwarts?" Ron asked curiously. No one explained and Harry was just as curious as the rest of them. After continuously interrogating Bill, Charlie and Mrs Weasley and failing to get answers they finally let the topic go. Soon the plates were wiped clean and everyone were lazily lounging in their seats occasionally firing questions at Bill and Charlie hoping to get an answer from one of them. Suddenly a loud hoot sounded and everyone turned to find Mrs Weasley with a letter on her hand.

"Harry? There's a letter for you" She handed him the letter which he took it and turned over. His heart leapt when he saw the name written in neat letters, _Fleur Delacour. _Fred who was sitting next to him saw it and gave a wolf whistle immediately alerting the rest of the Weasleys.

"Well well, nice going Monsieur Potter." Fred said with an evil grin. Harry could feel the gazes on him and he turned to see Hermione smirking at him.

"I err...excuse me." He muttered quietly before getting up and going back upstairs painfully aware of the gazes on him. He sat down on a chair inside Ron's room and quickly tore it open and began to read.

_Dear Harry, _

_I promised I would write no? How are you feeling? I hope you are well. Gabrielle can't stop talking about you. Our school term starts in another week and I can't say I'm not looking forward to going back. It seems like this year is going to be amazing. When are you going back to school? I really enjoyed meeting you and I want to thank you again for helping me. I have a feeling we will be meeting again soon! _

_Love,_

_Fleur Delacour_

_PS- Sorry about the short letter, but I wanted to send this to you as soon as I could. And I have written my address at the back of this parchment. _

He beamed at the letter and felt the happiest he had been in ages. He was surprised when she wrote that they might be meeting again soon and he sincerely hoped it was true. His eyes drifted towards the calendar on the wall and counting down the days until he was back in Hogwarts. Suddenly he remembered with a jolt that Fleur had mentioned that she was going to turn seventeen on the 26th of August while they talked during the match. Today was the 23rd and he grinned to himself. She wouldn't be expecting it, but he wanted to surprise her with something for her Birthday.

Hurriedly folding the letter and tucking it safely into his pocket he made his way back downstairs. Along the way down he came across Ron who immediately sped up and walked past him before Harry could open his mouth leaving him bewildered and standing frozen on the spot. After a few moments he turned back and went downstairs shrugging slightly. He was getting increasingly tired with Ron's mood swings and couldn't make either head or tail of it. When he came into the kitchen he found Fred, George, Ginny and Hermione still sitting at the table. When he walked in Ginny suddenly glowered at him and walked past him out of the room, something that everyone noticed. Fred and George grinned identically and even Hermione smirked a little when they noticed him.

"What's new with your damsel in distress?" Fred asked batting clasping his hands together and batting his eyelashes at him. Harry immediately felt the color rise in his face much to their amusement and choosing not to comment slid into the chair next to Hermione.

"Where are Bill and Charlie?" He asked looking around.

"Back at the ministry, something about an old friend of dad's in trouble" George answered. He nodded and immediately felt a spasm of pain pass through his head causing his elbow to slip out from under him and clutch the his head in pain. Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"You should go back to bed Harry, I don't think you should be walking around yet"

"No, I slept long enough…" Hermione opened her mouth to protest but was immediately interrupted by Fred.

"Want to shoot some hoops at the fields Harry?" Fred asked. He nodded eagerly, flying always could clear his head. Ignoring Hermione's glare he stood up with the twins and went up to get his Firebolt. Surprisingly Ron wasn't anywhere to be found in their room. He came back downstairs to find Hermione reading one of the new school books in the living room next to the kitchen. He heard a loud bang and smiled, it was going to be a while before the twins got back and he quickly told Hermione about Sirius and what Dumbledore told him.

"I can't believe you will be getting trained by Lupin and Sirius" She said enviously. "Sirius was one of the dueling champions back in Hogwarts when they had those events" Harry grinned. "Did it hurt a lot?" She asked in a small voice and it took him a few moments to realize what she was talking about.

"I definitely don't want to be on the receiving end of another one of those" He said grimly looking away. Thankfully the twins came back looking extremely sheepish with black powder covering their faces, clutching their brooms.

"Sorry mate, there was a slight err…miscalculation and we had to sort it out" Laughing he followed them out.

"Ron's not coming? I didn't see him anywhere" He asked curiously. The twins exchanged meaningful looks before turning to him.

"Don't mind him, he's being a bit of a prat at the moment. He got all stiff and moody when you got the letter from your friend so well…you know how he can get" Harry nodded grimly. It was annoying having to put up with Ron's tantrums sometimes which Harry had noticed over the past 3 years. Shaking off his thoughts he soon found himself in the air in the secluded area behind the Burrow throwing an odd looking ball that the twins had brought with them to each other trying to stick it through the 'goalpost' formed in the middle of two trees. Harry soon forgot about the occasional spasms of pain and gave in to his joy of flying. Soon afterwards they warily trudged back inside to shower and change.

Dinner found everyone seated outside at the garden where Mr Weasley had conjured up two long tables which were creaking under the weight of some of Mrs Weasley's finest dishes. Hermione kept trying to initiate conversations to include both Harry and Ron but all either of them could do was answer politely. He spotted Ginny watching him intently from time to time but always looked away when she saw him look her way.

For the most part he talked with Fred, George, Bill and Charlie who he found were much livelier company than the strained conversations with Ron and Hermione who seemed to be determined to drag both of them together, something which was annoying him to no end. Percy as always was deep in conversation with his father about work and soon the plates were cleared and everyone were lazily stretching around in their seats enjoying cups of hot chocolate.

"Hey Harry why don't we get you an earring?" Charlie asked grinning at him while Bill and the twins hitched up unnervingly similar grins.

Feeling a sense of apprehension to where this conversation was heading he cast a wary eye at Mrs Weasley who was talking with Hermione and Ginny. "Why?" He asked bemused.

"You take up after our dear older curse breaking brother who incidentally was one of the school's most infamous Casanovas, you already have the hair, all you need is an earring like his and we will have the one for this generation" Fred replied sniggering slightly. He leaned back on his chair, turning his attention to the sky.

"Not interested" He muttered.

"So you're a one woman type of man? That Veela is one lucky woman" George said arranging his face into a love-struck expression making everyone laugh.

"Worth a shot, well…looks like we don't have a shot at her then…was hoping if you became like me you'd lose interest in her leaving the path clear" Bill said after the laughter had died down.

"Wait, how would you even think you could have a shot at her when she isn't even in the country, and you aren't even in Hogwarts anymore? Supposing Harrykins here gives you a chance of course" George asked suddenly surprising everyone. Even Hermione and Ron who hadn't been paying attention leaned in. Bill gulped.

"Bed time right?" Bill asked before getting up and literally ran inside with the twins chasing after him.

Harry was just as curious as they were and Charlie suddenly felt four piercing gazes on him and he threw up his hands in protest.

"Don't ask me, I have no idea" But the twinkle in his eye immediately gave him away.

"It's classified information which will be disclosed once the ministry sees fit" Percy suddenly piped up making everyone roll their eyes. Sensing that Percy was getting ready to talk about work everyone hurriedly got up and excused themselves. It was getting late anyway and he was feeling tired too so he followed after the rest of the group. Before he passed Mr and Mrs Weasley however who were deep in conversation with each other he stopped.

"Umm…Mr Weasley? I need to go to Diagon alley tomorrow"

"Sure Harry, you can use the floo powder but Dumbledore wouldn't like the idea of sending you alone" He grimaced. This was one thing he had to make sure he was going alone.

"I'll be back before long, I'll leave in the morning" Mrs Weasley looked like she was going to protest but after a long moment she nodded. After bidding good night to them he climbed back upstairs to Ron's room to find Ron reading a book on his bed. Their eyes met and Ron grinned uncertainly which he returned but the tension was uncomfortable.

"'Night Ron" He said before climbing on to his bed. He heard his faint reply but he sighed softly and closed his eyes, wondering how much longer their friendship can survive.

* * *

The next day Harry rose well before everyone else and after putting on his normal pair of jeans and a black shirt he crept downstairs. Quickly he scribbled a note for Mrs Weasley and left it on the table and grabbed a fistful of floo powder. Throwing it into the fireplace which immediately lit with emerald flames he stepped in and said clearly "Leaky Cauldron" and allowed himself to be sucked into the nauseating sensation of spinning. After it stopped he found himself in the middle of a crowded pub. Ignoring the hushed whispers and stares he strode to the counter grinning at the barman.

"Harry Potter! An honor as always to have you here sir, what can I get for you?" Tom the barman asked smiling at him.

"Anything for breakfast?" He asked.

"Of course, take a seat I'll be with you in a moment" Tom said before he walked to the back. He sat down in a table at a corner and as soon as the food arrived he ate hurriedly wanting to get away from the stares. Thanking the barman and leaving a generous tip he walked to the back of the shop and tapped the bricks with his wand and watched fascinated as the bricks parted showing the brightly colored street packed with people.

Even after three years he could never get tired of walking down the streets. There was always something interesting to see every few steps he took. He went into Gringotts first and asked to make a withdrawal from his vault. After thoroughly enjoying the cart ride to and from the vault much to the amusement of the goblin who accompanied him he was once again walking through the streets trying to figure out what to get. He was aware of some witches that seemed to be around his age staring at him and giggling. He even recognized some of them from Hogwarts whom he had never spoken to but knew from appearance. They blushed and looked away when he caught their eye.

He didn't know what to get her. He wanted to get her something special but at the same time he didn't have the remotest clue of what to get her.

It was then that he wandered into a part of Diagon Alley that he had seen but never walked into due to the large number of witches in it. Ignoring the giggles and stares he walked on eyeing the shops until finally he caught sight of an equivalent to a muggle jewelery store. Walking inside he smiled at the old man that looked up at him.

"Harry Potter! What an honor, what can I do for you sir?" He asked excitedly.

"Just looking sir, if I find something of interest I will let you know" Harry said making the old man nod vigorously. The shop had many fine necklaces, bracelets and more of the sort but they were too flashy for his liking. Somehow he couldn't imagine Fleur ever wanting to wear something like them. Sighing resignedly he was just about to leave the shop when he noticed a silver necklace with a gracefully formed star as a pendant. There was a bright sapphire stone on it which Harry could have sworn was glowing. It stood out with an almost ethereal beauty that reminded him of Fleur. Blushing slightly at the thought he beckoned the shopkeeper.

"Found something of interest Mister Potter?" The old man asked walking up to him.

"That…How much is it?" He asked pointing at the necklace. The man looked surprised but his face immediately transformed into a smile and pulled it out.

"A rather interesting piece that is, I'm surprised it caught your eye. I will be willing to part with it for 60 galleons" Harry, who was expecting a much higher price than that looked up in surprise. The old man chuckled softly. "It doesn't matter Mister Potter, the fact that it caught your eye makes me wonder. So many people have come and gone from my shop and yet none have ever noticed it. It has a very unique story of its origin to it but forgive me but I don't feel like revealing it to you yet" He said, his eyes twinkling. Harry was surprised but he nodded happily and proceeded to pay for it and the man wrapped it in a box and gave it to him which Harry took feeling immensely pleased that he had found something worth to give to Fleur. Before he left however he turned back to the man.

"The next time I visit I will hope I can learn the story behind this? Mister…"

"Keep, Brian Keep Mister Potter, and of course I will be honored to do so" The man said bowing low. "Oh, and I would like to be introduced to the recipient of that necklace the next time. Good day Mister Potter" He added smiling slightly and he ducked to the back of the shop leaving Harry standing with a shocked expression on his face. After a few moments Harry shook his head slightly and walked out and was soon back inside the Leaky Cauldron. He checked his watch and was shocked to find that it was almost 2. Mrs Weasley was going to kill him!

He hurriedly waved goodbye to the barkeeper and grabbing a fistful of floo powder from a cauldron next to the fireplace he stepped in and said "The Burrow" and allowed the green flames to envelop him, pulling him inwards. After a brief moment of spinning Harry found himself sheepishly getting back to his feet and rubbing soot from his clothes while looking at a worried Mrs Weasley and Hermione.

"Harry James Potter, mind explaining what took you so long? You were gone before we woke up and look at the time!" Interestingly it wasn't Mrs Weasley that spoke. He looked up at her, ignoring the spark of annoyance that rose in him at her question. Yes it was his fault for taking so long...but who was she? His mother?

"Sorry for making you worry, I guess I just…lost track of time" He said evenly. After a long moment under the piercing gazes of Mrs Weasley and Hermione, he heard a quiet voice beside him.

"Harry? What's this?" He looked to his side to find that the box containing the necklace had slipped from his hand and was now in the clutches of Ginny.

It didn't take him long to realize that she might have peeked inside and he immediately felt a flare of anger rise in him. No matter how close they were, no matter how much he considered her as a sister, it was not her place to poke around his things. He reached over and quickly took the box from Ginny who immediately backed away at the expression on his face.

"Something I bought" He said coldly and shifted his gaze sharply back to Hermione and Mrs Weasley who had been watching the exchange intently. Mrs Weasley opened her mouth but quailed under his gaze as he walked swiftly past them and back up the stairs.

He found Ron and Charlie engaged in a game of chess and both broke into grins when he entered the room. Ron had apparently gotten over his behavior the previous night and Harry was too used to it to care and decided to just accept it.

"Just got back?" Ron while watching his knight brutally hack away at one of Charlie's pawns.

"Yeah"

"You should have seen mom, she was getting really worried. Her and Hermione" He sighed and lay back on his bed after carefully placing the box inside his trunk. He didn't answer and from his silence Charlie seemed to understand what he was thinking.

"Mom will always worry about you Harry, she sees you as a part of family and she always worries about all of us. Even now" Charlie added with a pained smile making Ron and Harry laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so" He really didn't want to speak about this. Sure he liked Mrs. Weasley but he hated the feeling of being smothered by her and her acting like a concerned parent. He turned to watch Charlie lose yet another pawn to Ron's knight. "Where are the others?"

"Fred and George are locked up in their room again, the rest are at work" Ron said.

"Bill too?" He asked surprised.

"Yeah, but he's not in Egypt. It's in Gringotts, he left a little while before you came" Ron said smiling while he watched one of pawns smash Charlie's Knight into dust.

"That reminds me I'm leaving for Romania tomorrow and Bill's going back to Egypt early in the morning" Charlie groaned. His King had thrown his sword and Ron's pieces were cheering in victory. The rest of the day passed pleasantly with Harry, Ron and Charlie talking about Quidditch who were soon joined by Fred and George and later by Bill. Night soon came and after a lively dinner marred only by Ginny who was trying to catch his eye from time to time, getting increasingly frustrated when he wouldn't even look her way

Hermione and was happy to find that both Ron and Harry were once again in speaking terms. Finally they retired to bed with farewells to Bill and Charlie who were going to leave before dawn. When asked why they were going back to work so soon both of them mysteriously answered that they wanted to take a holiday a lot sooner next year than normal. In the middle of the night Harry got up and quietly took out the box from his trunk and quietly went downstairs with a piece of parchment and a quill. Lighting one of the lamps he began to write and sealed it inside an envelope with Fleur's address on it after he was done. He went outside and found Hedgwig who hooted softly in greeting from her perch next to Errol, the Weasley's family owl. He carefully tied the box along with the letter and gently stroked her wings.

"This needs to get to Fleur okay?" He murmured and she blinked at him. After affectionately nipping at his finger she took off leaving him grinning and imagining the look on Fleur's face when she received her gift.

* * *

**AN: I know a whole lot of you are wondering why the cruciatus curse left a scar so I hope I answered that question. . **

**Thankyou for reading and please leave a review. (Author's lifeline and all that y'know?)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm still surprised at the amount of people adding this to their alerts and favs. Thanks a lot guys! Again, special thanks go out to everyone that reviewed :) **

_**French is in italics**_

**CHAPTER 3**

Fleur was sound asleep when she felt something suddenly jump on her bed making her eyes snap open with a shriek. It took a while before she noticed the little bundle of silver lying next to her shaking with laughter.

"_Gabrielle, don't ever do that again" _She said crossly before pulling her little sister into her arms and tickling her affectionately.

"_Happy Birthday!" _Gabrielle shouted loudly and kissing Fleur on the cheek making her smile widely.

"_Thank you_" Fleur replied ruffling Gabrielle's hair. She giggled and wriggled free of her sister's arms and ran outside. Before long she came back holding a picture and handed it to Fleur. Her face broke into a grin; it was a picture of her and Gabrielle sitting under a tree. It was brightly colored and although the picture was hardly a beauty she felt like it was one of the best drawings she had seen in her life. She turned to see Gabrielle watching her nervously and laughed and pulled her into a tight hug murmuring her thanks.

She suddenly realized with a jolt that she could do magic freely, now that she was seventeen. She grabbed her wand from the table next to her and made her window burst open and levitated the books and other objects around the room and much to Gabrielle's amusement conjured brightly colored bubbles. Eventually she got up and went to the washroom to freshen up leaving Gabrielle jumping around trying to pop every single one of the bubbles she could reach. Once she returned she picked up Gabrielle and went downstairs to find her parents waiting for her at the dining table. Both broke into wide smiles when they saw her and pulled her into their embrace.

"_Happy Birthday my flower" _Her father and mother said in unison making Fleur and Gabrielle laugh. They both handed her two wrapped boxes which she tore open eagerly. In one of them was a pair of shoes that had caught her eye while shopping for school supplies a few days ago. She had not mentioned anything about it to her mother who was with her because of the price.

Even though their family was very well off she was modest and didn't like to spend money unnecessarily, something that her parents were extremely proud of her for. Squealing in happiness she hugged her mother tightly and tore open the remaining box which contained the most beautiful dress robes she had ever seen. It was a made of a very soft material that felt like water flowing in her arms and it was the exact color of her hair. Beside it was a pair of earrings that had a sapphire gem which was the exact color of her eyes. She grinned happily and hugged her father tightly making him chuckle softly and pat her head gently.

"_Sit down dear, we made your favorite today" _her mother said before firmly grabbing Gabrielle's hand and pulling her to her lap. It was usually a hard job to get Gabrielle to eat in the morning and today was no less different. Together they tucked in while happily making plans for the day and for when Fleur would be returning to Beauxbatons in three days.

"_Well then flower since you are of age now I believe you will be putting your name up for the Triwizard tournament?" _Her father asked ignoring the worried look on his wife's face. Ever since she had learned of the tournament she had been fighting tooth and nail with her parents to be allowed to compete. He knew nothing they could say or do would change her mind. She wanted to prove herself once and for all and stop the notion of her fellow students that she was only the best of her year because of her veela heritage allowing her to have her way with her teachers. Madame Maxime was very supportive in letting Fleur compete as she was easily one of the best students Beauxbatons had seen in years. His wife did what any mother would do and always will. Worry.

"_Of course papa" _She said crossing her arms and looking at both her parents with her face set. He chuckled.

"_Then the only thing I can say is…make sure you do your best and make us proud" _He said grinning at her making her smile back.

"_Are you sure about this? You have nothing to prove, we are already proud of you as it is and I don't want you to willingly put yourself in harm's way" _Her mother said worriedly. She had been planning on protesting but with her husband giving his consent she didn't have much to go on now. She had to accept the inevitable. Fleur sighed softly.

"_Yes maman, there is nothing to worry about. This is something I have to do" _Her mother nodded and didn't say anything and she knew this was the closest form of approval she could and will ever get from her mother.

"_When you are chosen we can come to watch you right?" _Gabrielle asked tugging at her sleeve.

"_If I am chosen" _She corrected gently.

"_You will be chosen"_ Gabrielle shot back making her father laugh and her mother smile grudgingly. _"And we can meet Harry Potter too!" _

"_Gabby!" _Fleur blushed slightly. At this everyone burst out laughing completely breaking the initial tension that had built up with the issues of the tournament. She couldn't deny it though; she was looking forward to meeting Harry once they went to Hogwarts and unknown to her both her parents had been closely observing her behavior with the black haired boy that they had met at the World Cup.

They had been shocked when Fleur had embraced him and they had been even more surprised to find that he in turn was unaffected by the veela allure. Something which the veela worked hard to find in potential mates. Apolline had been lucky enough to find Dominique who was one of the few men that were unaffected by it and they had fallen in love and now had a very happy life together. Both of them wanted Fleur and Gabrielle to find that happiness, especially Fleur who was now an adult. The fact that Harry Potter was about three years younger than her didn't matter to them. His actions on that night had confirmed that he was not to be regarded as a mere child.

"_I noticed that our owl was gone for a long time, international post?" _Her mother asked with a smirk noticing how Fleur was getting redder by the second. Thankfully Fleur was saved at that moment by one of their house elves that came in holding a rather large package with a letter.

"_Excuse me madame, but this arrived earlier in the morning for you today" _He said in his wheezy voice handing her the items.

"_Thank you" _She said smiling at him making him bow low before retreating. She tore open the letter.

_Happy Birthday Fleur! We all chipped in to get you this, hope you like it._

_Amy, Aurélie, Caroline_

She opened the package intrigued to find a rather large box. Opening it she gasped in wonder. Inside it was a glass ball. But not just any glass ball, it was an inky black with a perfect, moving model of a galaxy and stars. Astronomy was her favorite subject in school. She took it out making Gabrielle squeal in delight.

"_So pretty!" _She exclaimed. Fleur laughed and after looking at the orb fondly handed it to Gabrielle who seemed transfixed by it.

"_You have some very good friends" _Her father said to which she could only nod in agreement. She quickly got one of the house elves to fetch her a quill and a parchment and scribbled a note which she sent back to her friends thanking them for the gift. She couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment she had though, she had been hoping against hope that Harry would have remembered her birthday. She was also hurt that she hadn't gotten a reply to her letter yet and wondered if something was still wrong with him. He had after all been in a pretty bad shape when she had seen him last. She felt a spasm of guilt pass through her when she remembered him screaming in pain in front of her.

"_Dear? What's wrong?" _Her mother asked looking at her worriedly for her eyes had suddenly lost the bright gleam in them and her smile which she had just seconds ago was no longer present. Startled she looked up to find everyone staring at her and hastily she hitched back an awkward smile.

"_Nothing" _To her relief no one questioned her afterwards although she could see the uncertainty lingering in her mother's eyes. After a few moments, more to lighten the mood she asked something which had been nagging her constantly the past couple of days.

"_When do we go to Hogwarts? Do we stay for a term at Beauxbatons and then go or…?" _She asked directing her question at her father.

"_No, when you go back to school I believe they will spend the first two or three days to get everything organized. I think you should be in Hogwarts by the end of the first week of September" _Fleur's eyes widened, she didn't think they would be going that soon. That meant they would be spending the whole year in Hogwarts! A part of her was really excited but another part of her, the part of her that hadn't faded since she started wondering why Harry hadn't replied, was apprehensive.

She was already almost a stranger in her own surroundings, to be in a foreign environment without knowing anyone would only make the feeling worse. And also, at least the boys in Beauxbatons knew to keep their distance from her for their own good, but the foreign students! Who knew how they would act? Or if they would show any restraint? More than anything she wanted to have Harry in addition to her school friends by her side. She sighed and looked up, breakfast had disappeared in the midst of all the talking and Gabrielle was now lying on the rug on the floor and she along with her parents were still seated at the table.

"_Oh, and your grandmother wants us over for the night" _Her mother said smiling widely. Fleur and Gabrielle loved spending time with Alana, their pure veela blooded grandmother. She was very understanding and helped both of them adjust to the lifestyle among normal people as a veela.

"_That's great" _She beamed before getting up and intending to go back to her room when a loud hoot caused everyone to turn around in surprise. She looked on in surprise when a beautiful, snowy white owl flew in through an open window next to the table carrying a letter and a thin, medium sized box. It flew right towards her and landed on the table right in front of her and hooted again holding out it's leg allowing her to relieve the owl of its burden. It nipped her finger softly before flying back near the window and perching itself on it and closing its eyes. Gabrielle immediately jumped up and ran to the owl and stroked it, laughing when it gently nipped her ear.

"_Who's it from?" _Fleur's mother asked grinning at her and bringing her attention back to the letter and the box. She was momentarily distracted watching Gabrielle and the owl. She turned over the letter and her heart leapt when she saw the name.

"_It's from Harry!" _She exclaimed and eagerly tore open the letter while her parents chuckled waiting for her to read it out. Hearing this, Gabrielle dashed to her side and leapt up onto the chair beside her trying to read the letter over her shoulder. Sitting down she began to read.

_Dear Fleur, _

_First of all I want to apologize for taking so long to send you a reply. I got your letter a few days ago but I remembered your birthday was also in a few days' time, so I wanted to send this to you on that day. So, Happy Birthday! I got you something. It's not much and I'm not really sure but hope you will like it. I'm feeling alright now, nothing to worry about. We go back to school on the first of September, and I really do hope that I can see you again. From what I hear from my friends, this year is going to be something different but we have no clue about it. Do you have any idea about it? If so, what is it! Say hi to Gabrielle and your parents for me. _

_Have a great Birthday!_

_Harry_

_PS- Hope Hedwig got to you in time, I wanted to make sure you get this on the day of your Birthday. _

Fleur couldn't get rid of the smile that had formed halfway through the letter and she was feeling the happiest she had been when she finished reading the letter. She looked up to find everyone grinning at her rather mischievously, even her father's eyes were twinkling.

"_He actually remembered, wasn't expecting that" _He murmured while his wife nodded.

"_Open it!" _Gabrielle cried pointing at the box. Fleur quickly set the letter down and gently tore the paper wrapped around it. It was rather light and curiosity taking over her she pried the top of the box off and everyone gasped in wonder at what they found.

It was a necklace, it had a beautiful sapphire stone on the star pendant that was glowing dimly. Overall it was a modest piece of jewelry but it was all the more beautiful due to the simplicity of it. She gently picked it up in her hands watching as the blue stone glowed brighter and a feeling of warmth surged through her. She noticed a note underneath and picked it up to read. She felt herself blushing at what she saw.

_Reminded me of you, hope you like it! _

"_It's beautiful, he has quite an eye" _Her mother said softly when Fleur gave the necklace to her when she wanted to take a closer look. A flash of recognition appeared in her eyes and her mouth opened in shock but she closed it immediately. This was, however, not gone unnoticed by Fleur who had been watching her mother closely.

"_What is it maman?" _

"_Oh nothing dear, well come here then let me put it on you. You wouldn't want to break his heart when you meet him again do you?" _She asked cheekily making Fleur blush harder. She walked over to her mother who gently placed it around her daughter's neck and secured it firmly. Fleur looked down at it as another surge of happiness surged through her.

"_I'm going to write back to Harry maman, papa, I'll get ready to go once I've sent his owl back" _Fleur said happily before gathering up the letter and going over to Hedwig and holding out her arm. She regarded her for a moment before leaping onto her outstretched arm and hooting happily nuzzled against Fleur's neck making her laugh.

"_Aren't you a cute little thing" _She murmured affectionately walking carefully back up to her room. Gabrielle had once again taken to staring at the orb, her eyes wide while her parents watched Fleur disappear before turning to look at each other.

"_Wasn't that…?" _Dominique trailed off. Both were shocked to say the least.

"_Yes" _Apolline said happily. _"When mother sees it, it's going to drive her crazy" _Dominique laughed.

"_Looks like I'm going to have to find out a lot more about Mr. Potter than I thought"_

* * *

Two days before they were due in Hogwarts found Harry, Ron and Hermione lounging around in Ron's room. Harry was losing spectacularly in against Ron in yet another chess match while Hermione was lying on Harry's bed reading her copy of _Advanced Charms_.

"That's it, I've had enough" Harry said throwing up his hands in defeat as he was yet again cornered by Ron's pieces and watched his king throw it's sword down in defeat. Ron chuckled.

"You sure you don't want another go?" He asked and laughed at the look Harry gave him. Harry grinned afterwards and got up and stretched. The past few days had been pretty uneventful save for the constant bangs issuing from the twin's room. They had seen Percy from time to time at dinner but apart from that he stayed shut up in his room for the most part. Ginny had been avoiding Harry apart from occasional glares she shot him which Harry chose to completely ignore. Truth be told, he still had not forgiven her fully for her actions and it was much easier for him to just ignore her.

Harry, Ron and the twins had taken to eavesdropping, much to Hermione's displeasure, on Mr. Weasley and Percy's conversations whenever they could. From the snatches of the conversations they heard, they were able to deduce that the Department International Magical Cooperation was extremely busy these days. Harry couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts, the sooner he went back, the sooner he would meet Sirius and Lupin. He was also excited in the prospect that he would be trained by them.

"So bored" Harry muttered sitting down at the edge of his bed.

"Why don't you just read some of the new books?" Hermione asked from behind him, still absorbed in her book making no signs in getting up.

Harry turned to look at her incredulously and turned back to Ron who shook his head and mouthed "mental" to which Harry grinned and immediately jumped in surprise when he felt Hermione playfully poke his side with her foot.

"What was that for?" He asked turning to look at her to find her looking at him, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"I saw you Harry"

"It wasn't me! It was Ron!"

"You're the only one I can reach" She grinned. Harry sighed before tugging the hairband that tied his hair into a ponytail off. Hermione had given a few of them to him and assured him that it didn't make him look like a girl. But it felt nice to loosen up sometimes. Hedwig should have gotten back by now and he was very nervous and wondering whether or not Fleur liked his gift. A knock on the door made them look up to find Ginny scowling slightly with a letter.

"Hedwig got back Harry, this is for you" She said and handed him the letter before turning and swiftly walking away. Harry's breath almost caught up when he saw that it was from Fleur and eagerly tore it open and read it quietly to himself.

_Dear Harry,_

_Thank you so much for the necklace! It's so beautiful, I love it! I'm already wearing it too! I was so happy when I got your letter, for a moment I was thinking that you wouldn't remember. I'm so glad that you're feeling better now. I'm sorry but I don't think I will be able to write back again after this, I'm returning to Beauxbatons day after tomorrow and we will be travelling almost the entire time and your owl (Who is the cutest owl I have ever seen) will have a hard time finding me. I will not reveal anything more for now. Maman, papa and Gabrielle all send their regards! _

_Love, _

_Fleur _

Harry grinned happily and carefully folded the letter and put it in his trunk. Turning around he found Ron staring at him but quickly rearranged his face into an awkward smile. Hermione sat up higher.

"Who was it from Harry?" Harry took a moment to try and wipe the smile off his face but found it almost impossible to do with the thoughts running in his mind. The most prominent one, 'She wore it!' kept running again and again in his head and was making him feel light headed.

"Fleur" Hermione grinned back at him however he noticed that Ron had a rather pained expression on his face. Sensing the tension Harry hurriedly tried some damage control.

"Ron, I'm going out to fly, coming?" Harry quickly asked.

"I'll be there soon, got something to do. I'll get Fred and George when I come" He said and Harry nodded before shouldering his Firebolt and walking out. He tied back his hair and quietly crept past Mrs. Weasley who was cooking at the kitchen. Now whenever she saw him she always kept trying to cut his hair. It seems now that Bill was out of her reach, she could only focus on Harry about it. Once he reached the secluded area at the back outside of the Burrow he mounted his broom and kicked off enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing past him.

His thoughts immediately wandered back to Fleur's letter. He felt sure now that they would be meeting each other again and it surprised him when he realized just how much he was looking forward to seeing her again. They had met only once but she was the first girl that he felt really understood him and also the first girl that he found he actually enjoyed speaking to. It also didn't hurt that she made any other girls he had met pale in comparison. He couldn't wait more than ever now to get back to Hogwarts. He had a feeling that whatever was going to happen this year, was somehow tied to what Fleur kept hinting in her letters.

"Harry! What are you doing?" A voice called from below and he looked down to find the three Weasleys looking up at him. He realized he had been floating stationary in midair for a while now. He grinned at them and beckoned them and soon they were once again tossing the twin's ball at each other trying to score points. They went on the entire evening and finally when they got back they showered and had dinner before going to bed.

The next day passed much the same way, however towards the evening everyone were packing their belongings. The rooms were cleared of the clutter, wardrobes emptied and Hedwig and Pigwidegeon's, Ron's owl that he got from Sirius as compensation for losing his pet rat, cages were cleaned. The twin's room which was filled with many strange looking objects suddenly disappeared much to Mrs. Weasley's astonishment and although she spent the evening trying to track them down she couldn't find them. Ever since Mr. Weasley had told her about the ton tongue toffee incident she had been beside herself with rage and gone on a warpath clearing out any and all of Weasley's wizarding weezes products she could find. But the twins were almost always one step ahead of her and they still managed to keep all of their inventions hidden from their mother's watchful eye.

Finally, they had one last meal together and which was finished with a brilliant show of fireworks compliments of the twins and everyone turned in early in preparation for the next day.

* * *

No matter how much they were prepared, they were always tightly pushed to get ready. Mr. Weasley had used the phone in the village to get a cab over and after a hurried breakfast everyone crammed in rather uncomfortably to the cab with their trunks packed safely into the boots. Mrs. Weasley and Percy decided to remain at the Burrow seeing as the cab didn't have room for all of them and after hugging all of the her children and Harry and Hermione and shaking hands with Percy, they all crammed into the back leaving Mr. Weasley and Ginny to share the front seat next to the driver.

Harry was unpleasantly surprised to find Hermione's cat, Crookshanks which he hadn't seen throughout the summer sitting on her lap. It made for a very uncomfortable journey and everyone ended up with several scratches on their faces except for Hermione. The twins were mostly to blame. Bored from sitting quietly they had taken to annoying the cat which after ten minutes of constant prods and pokes finally retaliated. Once they reached King's Cross the driver wasn't at the least unhappy to see them go. After Mr. Weasley discreetly healed every one of the cuts in their faces they set off towards platform nine and three quarters ignoring the stares of muggles, with Ron and Harry attracting more stares due to their owls. Harry was getting increasingly uncomfortable at the females giggling and watching him pointedly and feeling his color rising he decided to go first as soon as they reached the magical barrier.

Walking over to it he leaned against it while deep in conversation with Fred who volunteered to go with him. They stumbled through it and came out in front of the Hogwarts Express and the masses of people surrounding it. Harry couldn't help the grin that slowly formed on his face. He was going back home.

After waiting for everyone to fall in they quickly loaded their trunks onto the train and turned back for a final farewell with Mr. Weasley.

"You are all going to have a very interesting term this year" Mr. Weasley said as he hugged his sons and daughter and finally Harry and Hermione.

"Dad, what is it? It's been driving us crazy the whole summer" George whined while everyone nodded in agreement. Mr. Weasley grinned.

"You will know today, Dumbledore will probably be making the announcement at the feast. Just please, promise me you all will stay out of trouble. Especially you, Fred, George and Harry" Harry looked shocked at his inclusion to which Fred and George roared with laughter and clapped him on his back.

"You are our partner in crime Harry, don't forget" Fred said winking at him.

"It's as you said last year Harry, you don't look for trouble, it find you" Mr. Weasley said kindly. Harry nodded and grinned.

"Well then, get on the train, it's almost time. Have a great term, all of you"

"Bye dad"

"Bye Mr. Weasley, thanks for everything" They all jumped onto the train and watched as Mr. Weasley dissapparated before their eyes.

"I can't wait till I can do that" Fred said looking at the empty spot where his father stood with an expression of longing.

"You will take your test next year, we have another three years to go" Ron grumbled.

"Right you are little bro, okay then guys, we're off to the front. Need to see Lee" Ginny also said something about meeting with her friends and left leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to look for an empty compartment. After finally finding one they settled in and were joined soon after they were seated by Neville Longbottom.

"Neville! How was your summer mate?" Harry asked making the round faced boy smile back at him.

"It was great! The world cup was really something wasn't it? Were you still there when you-know-who's mark appeared?"

"Where were you?" Ron asked surprised.

"Gran took me back home immediately after the match ended" He said sheepishly.

"Yeah, we were there" Harry sighed. "Nothing happened though, in fact I wasn't anywhere near the mark. You'll have to ask Ron and Hermione about that" Harry laid back and relaxed into his seat occasionally joining in on the conversation between Neville, Ron and Hermione. His mind was full of thoughts about meeting Sirius and Lupin and also about Fleur, the last of which kept making his heart race occasionally. Familiar faces kept dropping by as the journey progressed on. Angelia Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell dropped by around midday and fawned over Harry showering him with compliments about his change of looks to which Harry was frozen speechless.

He was always badly prepared to deal with girls and they knew it. They teased him to the point that he was bright red in his face and only left when the lunch trolley came. Harry was nevertheless pleased with their visit, Harry looked to them as his older sister's and he to them was like a younger brother that they all shared. After lunch they were visited by more familiar faces including Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan who talked endlessly about Quidditch and much to Ron's delight and Harry's amusement, Krum. Lavender Brown and Parveti Patil also showed up to greet Hermione. Both had gasped and blushed slightly when her eyes fell on Harry and he was getting extremely irritated by now. _I make one little change and this is what happens _Harry thought to himself while watching Ron who had been growing increasingly moody at the attention Harry was getting. It wasn't until later that they were visited by Daphne Greengrass, the infamous Ice queen of Slytherin.

Even Harry didn't know how on Earth he ended up being friends with her. She was a blonde haired witch and was one of the most attractive girls in Hogwarts. But her cold personality was notorious throughout the school and she had ruthlessly crushed all attempts of every single boy that had tried to get close to her. In the middle of their second year when everyone suspected Harry as the heir of Slytherin and behind the attacks on the muggle borns she had found him sitting alone outside of the castle in front of the lake. She had approached him and after introductions were made they had begun talking to each other and by the end of the year she was the first Slytherin that Harry could honestly call a friend. Over their third year they had only gotten closer, something that the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins had looked on in surprise and frowns with. By the end of the year, she was one of Harry's good friends and they had even exchanged a couple of letters over the summer.

She walked in coolly ignoring everyone else and sat opposite Harry who smiled at her.

"Hey Daphne, didn't hear from you after the Cup"

She smiled at him, she almost always had a calm, blank mask which she kept on at all times and it was only around Harry and Tracey Davies, her best friend, that she got rid of it.

"It's not entirely my fault, you didn't write back either, and I was a little busy"

"Call it even then?" Harry asked grinning at her. He was dimly aware that Hermione, Ron and Neville had gone extremely quiet.

"I guess" She said and regarded the others with a bored look and almost immediately they started talking amongst themselves again. She turned back to him and winked. "Everyone's saying you had changed quite a bit, and I must say it's quite the improvement" Harry groaned.

"Not you too, it's bad enough as it is. I'm feeling like I should just cut it"

"Don't, it's nice to see a boy that's different from all the normal ones, it should give our year at least a better image, what with the other groups coming into Hogwarts" Harry was instantly on alert and he from the silence from Hermione he knew she was listening in too.

"Other groups?" Harry asked and her pale grey eyes widened in surprise.

"You don't know?" Harry shook his head and she laughed.

"Well then Mr. Potter I don't think I feel the need to let you know just yet, think of it as punishment for not sending me any letters after the Cup" Harry groaned again.

"Come on, you didn't either"

"I know, but when you have an edge…"

"You use it" Harry finished making her smile at him.

"You've improved I see"

"And your still the same Slytherin I remember" Harry grumbled making her laugh softly. At that moment the compartment door slid open revealing Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Harry had been wondering when they were going to show up.

"Well, well, Greengrass I thought you had better taste than in people" Daphne folded her arms and looked coldly back at Malfoy.

"I do, that's why I'm here instead of anywhere near you or your lapdogs" She said tonelessly making everyone laugh. Malfoy's eyes narrowed and instead focused on the others.

"I couldn't believe when I saw you at the top box with the minister, what did the Weasleys do to ever get up there? Did you sell your house?" Ron's ears went red and his face flushed with anger.

"I couldn't believe that you weren't there Malfoy, did your father not kiss Fudge's arse enough?" Harry asked making Malfoy growl. Harry smiled politely, "And were you so pathetic as to keep watch over us throughout the match? Because in case you didn't notice, there were people flying around and a bunch of veela to see. I'm actually scared of you as a person now, no telling what you might be thinking" Making everyone roar with laughter.

"You will pay for that Potter" He snarled pulling out his wand.

"Hey! No magic can be used until you reach school, put that away" A tall raven haired Ravenclaw prefect who Harry knew by appearance appeared behind Malfoy suddenly. Seething in anger he quickly pocketed his wand and after glaring at them, walked away with Crabbe and Goyle close behind.

"Why he keeps coming every year to have a go at us, I will never understand" Hermione sighed before burying her nose back in her book.

"So you have no intention of letting me know about what's going on in school?" Harry asked Daphne trying to catch her unawares.

"No, but it think the headmaster will make his announcements today" She said smirking at him.  
Glancing at her watch and stood up stretching slightly. "I think I'll go back and join the others. See you tomorrow when classes start Harry" She smiled at him.

"Bye" Harry said watching her go. He turned to see everyone watching him.

"Since when did you get so close to her?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged. He was used to her actions, it was normal around her. When Harry wouldn't answer she dropped it. Ron and Neville were once again engaged in a conversation about Quidditch and Harry noticed he was avoiding his eyes. Shaking his head slightly Harry pulled out a book on _Defense Theory_ which Sirius had sent him earlier in the summer for his 14th Birthday and began to read. He found that he was beginning to like dueling and hoped that at least this year they would have a competent Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Lupin was the best they ever had but Harry doubted he would be coming back, what with Snape ruining it for him. But Harry wasn't complaining, he was after all going to have private lessons with him and his godfather.

One thing that made him nervous was that Dumbledore had actually stepped up and arranged for Harry to be trained, the past three years he had done no such thing, preferring to leave Harry to progress through his school year as normal. Even in the third year with the Dementors and Sirius on the loose (When they still thought he was guilty) Dumbledore didn't give Harry special instructions at all. Harry shuddered to think what the signs Dumbledore was reading to make him make his decision.

"We better get ready, it's almost time" Hermione murmured putting her book away and Harry followed suit. They pulled on their school robes and soon the train started slowing down until finally coming to a stop. They got out and mixed with the crowd of people nodding at everyone they saw that recognized them.

"Firs' years follow me!" Harry heard a familiar voice call and Harry fought his way through the crowd to the large figure in the midst of the crowd. "Alrigh there Harry?" Rubeus Hagrid asked pulling Harry into a hug his dark black eyes twinkling.

"Good to see you again Hagrid" Harry said grinning and pulling back. Hagrid smiled at him through his beard.

"Changed a bit haven't ye? Reminds me of a certain Weasley that used to be here" Harry laughed. "Wait till you see what I got for me firs' lesson" Hagrid said before walking away with the group of first years behind him, leading them to the lake where they will take the traditional boat ride to Hogwarts leaving the rest to board the horseless carriages.

"Wonder what he's got ready?" Hermione asked faintly while she, Neville, Ron and Harry took one carriage. Harry nodded sincerely hoping that it wouldn't be action packed like their first class back in their third year when Malfoy provoked Buckbeak leading to a whole mess of trouble. They remained quiet watching the large castle loom steadily closer to them. Harry felt warm inside when he caught sight of the Gryffindor tower and found himself looking forward to when he would lie down on his four poster bed and gaze at the scarlet hangings.

They soon came to a halt and they got off and entered through the front entrance and into the great hall where the all the teachers except professor Minerva McGonagall and Hagrid were seated. Harry saw Dumbledore smile at him as he took his seat next to Hermione at the corner of the Gryffindor table and he grinned back. Harry's eyes scanned the table ignoring the sneering Potions teacher who had his look of loathing reserved just for him. Harry's eyes fell on a badly scarred man with pale grizzly hair who had a brilliant blue magical eye placed over the socket of his left eye. He was scowling and looked almost wary of everyone else as he was fixing his gaze on all of the students while they piled into the room. Harry noticed his right arm was twitching and reaching into something in his pocket and that his blue eye whizzed around from time to time.

"Who is that?" Harry asked turning to Hermione and Ron while watching the twins and Lee who came up and sat opposite them closely followed by the three chasers of the Gryffindor house team. Hermione shook her head blank.

"That's Mad-eye Moody, I saw him once when dad took me to the ministry when I was little" Ron said watching Moody.

"Yeah, he's a twitchy bloke isn't he? Downright paranoid he is" George said after looking where everyone was. Spotting the confused look on Harry's face he added. "He's an ex-Auror, one of the best. Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. Made himself loads of enemies and is always on the look-out for attackers"

"He's creepy" Katie said with a shiver. They quieted down when they noticed the gaggle of first years that arrived in through the middle of the four house tables. Harry grinned watching the anxious, terrified faces of them remembering how he himself felt when they were about to be sorted. The Hall went quiet while they waited for the Sorting Hat to start its song. Harry's eyes glazed out and he wondered where Sirius and Lupin would be now and when he would finally meet with them. He caught snatches of the hat's song and snorted.

"It wants us all to unite, hard to see that happening anytime soon" He muttered under his breath.

As soon as the hat was finished everyone burst into applause and soon they were watching while the first years were sorted into their houses trying to ignore the sharp pangs of hunger. As soon as the hat shouted it's last word, "GRYFFINDOR" Harry clapped loudly with the rest of the table as a tiny red faced first year ran and took his place at the far end of the table next to Nearly Headless Nick, the house ghost. Dumbledore stood up smiling broadly.

"To all the new students, welcome! And to everyone who returned, welcome back! I have a number of important announcements to make but for now I have only two words, tuck in!" He said and sat down as food appeared in front of them. The Hall was filled with voices and laughter while the students helped themselves to the food.

Harry loaded his plate and began to eat quietly, concentrating more on his food than the talking around him as he was ravenous. After he was done and comfortably full he joined in on the other's conversations which turned out to be on the World Cup. Harry was uncomfortably aware that he was attracting more stares than usual and felt like he was on display and wished that Dumbledore would start on his announcements. Harry was also excited to find out what it was that was so mysterious about this year and how it could possibly tie in with what Fleur had mentioned in her letters. Harry noticed that this time a lot more of the students were fixated on Dumbledore waiting for him to speak and he knew they were all anticipating what was in store for this year. Dumbledore got up again smiling broadly and instantly the whole Hall went quiet.

"First, let me introduce our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Alastor Moody" He said gesturing at the scarred man. The applause that rang out was very subdued and Moody neither stood up nor acknowledged it. He took a swig from a flask in front of him glaring at everyone. Dumbledore then proceeded on to tell them of some of the main rules as he always did at the start of each year. When he was done he chuckled at the faces staring at him in anticipation. Everyone was waiting anxiously for his final announcement.

"This year will be very different from all of the past years of Hogwarts. This is the first time in 150 years that this event will be taking place in Hogwarts. First, I am extremely sorry to tell you that all Quidditch matches this year are cancelled" He paused as an angry outbreak of muttering broke out and Harry looked in horror at the rest of his team who looked scandalized. Dumbledore raised his hand and almost immediately the mutterings ceased and the Hall was quiet once more. "However, it is my greatest pleasure to say that this year, years after the final tournament, Hogwarts will be hosting the first Triwizard tournament" The effect was instantaneous, a loud roar rang in the Hall.

"You have GOT to be joking" The Weasley twins shouted and everyone burst out laughing, even Dumbledore.

"No I assure you I am not joking Mr. Weasley" He said his eyes twinkling in their direction and both of their faces twisted into identical grins.

"Wicked"

"The Triwizard tournament is a set of challenges that a selected student from each of the competing schools must complete. The winner will have eternal glory and a thousand galleons prize money and bring great honor to his or her school. The tournament has been carefully organized as a joint effort for improving international magical relations and you can be assured that a lot of changes have been made to improve the tournament in order to avoid the tragedy that occurred during the last one, where all of the champions were killed" Harry looked around to find a lot of people were stricken and horrified. But there were still many more that were looking on eagerly.

"However, due to the advanced level of magic needed for these tasks, we have decided to draw an age limit for all those who want to enter. I will be drawing an age line around the impartial judge so that only those that are seventeen years and above may enter" At this cries of outrage and protest echoed across the Hall and Dumbledore was silent for a moment. He waited patiently for everyone to quiet down.

"That's so unfair!" Fred said loudly. "I am turning seventeen in a couple of months!" He wasn't the only one that was outraged, Harry saw that all along the table people were looking angry at not having the chance to compete.

"We could have entered, what about you Harry?" Ron asked. "We have done loads of stuff, I bet we could do this too"

"But Ron! People have died in this tournament, I am actually glad Dumbledore is drawing an age line" Hermione said. Harry remained quiet. Sure, it would be fun to enter, but he already had his plate full with extra lessons from his godfather and Lupin.

"I don't think I would, have enough to deal with this year" Harry said and Hermione nodded approvingly at him.

"A thousand galleons prize money Harry" Ron moaned, "And eternal glory"

"Only you would want that Ron" Hermione snapped making Ron look at her darkly while Harry sighed. Soon everyone quieted down and turned back to the Headmaster who hadn't moved the entire time.

"Thank you, now as I was saying, since Hogwarts is hosting the tournament, delegations from, the magical academy Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, the institute of magic will be arriving here at on Friday afternoon. You are excused from all classes in the afternoon to welcome the new students. They will be joining classes with us and live with us for the whole year as they will stay to cheer on their chosen champion. I hope you will treat each other with respect and look to forward to forming new friends" Harry gasped, it was like fireworks were lit inside his head. He couldn't stop the grin that was forming on his face. This was what Fleur had been hinting all the time! She was coming to Hogwarts! He was still thinking of the prospect of meeting her again when he noticed a hand waving in front of him.

"Harry?" Harry was startled to find Ron and Hermione watching him gazing at him. "You were staring into space with that stupid grin on your face" Harry flushed and shook his head and instead concentrated on Dumbledore.

"…The champions for each school will be chosen on Halloween night at the feast, you may begin entering your names from the night of the 30th of October till then. Take heed though, if you are chosen you have no choice but to compete. By adding your name you accept the Binding magical contract and you cannot back out of it. The champions of each school are exempted from their final examinations as they will need the time to concentrate on the third and final task which takes place on June. Now then, I have taken over most of the time and I am sure most of you will want to head to bed. You all have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow. Goodnight!" And with a final wave of his hand he went back to his seat and started talking with Moody while the rest of the teachers got up.

Harry, Ron and Hermione followed after the rest of the Gryffindors in the direction of their dormitories laughing and speculating with the others and thinking up ways to enter without being of age yet.

"I don't care, we'll find a way won't we George?" Fred said rubbing his hands in anticipation.

"Of course, we only need a few more months before we are seventeen, a couple drops of the ageing potion should do it" George replied with his evil grin back in place.

"Don't you think Dumbledore would have thought of that?" Hermione asked skeptically but the twins just waved her away. They finally came to stop in front of the painting of the Fat Lady and Lee stepped forward.

"The password's 'Baubles' a prefect downstairs told me" And the portrait swung open letting everyone climb in. Once Harry was inside he could hardly keep his eyes open when he wandered in to familiar, warm common room with a fire blazing merrily. He heard Hermione bid good night and tiredly climbed up to their dormitory with the others and sleepily changed into his night clothes and slid in to his bed after bidding Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean good night and closed his eyes after tugging off his hair band. Before he fully drifted off to sleep however his thoughts were turned to the beautiful silver haired witch and smiling slightly, embraced the closing darkness.

* * *

The next day they received their class schedules and Harry, in a flash of inspiration, did something that he was very thankful for in the days to come. When he noticed that today after Transfiguration he would be having double Divinations he snapped. After a hurried conversation with professor McGonagall he got permission to drop it, much to Hermione's approval and Ron's disappointment and took up Ancient Runes, something that he had been curious about after reading the book that Sirius sent him. Hermione was delighted and he tried to convince Ron to do it too but he refused saying it was too hard. Harry knew he would have to do some extra work to catch up but anything that could get him away from Trelawny would be better.

He also got a note from Dumbledore requesting his presence later the day in his office. Together they set off to Transfiguration where they knew instantly that this year was going to be exceptionally hard. After taking down notes they proceeded to turning a goblet into a hamster which was by far the hardest that anyone had ever done. After countless attempts Hermione succeeded and soon after, much to McGonagall's immense pride, Harry succeeded too earning Gryffindor ten points each for being the only students that could do it.

Ron was extremely put out by this and McGonagall gave Harry a very rare smile. Harry found that his concentration was much better now and that he had actually given his full attention during the lesson instead of talking with the others. Harry grinned inwardly, he had Dumbledore's words very seriously. He wanted to improve himself as much as he could so that he could get stronger and prepare himself the best he could in every way.

"That was brilliant Harry!" Hermione exclaimed happily as they headed down for lunch. "It was one of the hardest lessons we had too" Ron grunted sourly and looked away. He was told off by McGonagall for not managing to change his goblet even a little, something that only he and Neville had managed. They sat down to eat and were joined by the twins and Lee.

"Amazing lesson, Moody really knows his stuff" Lee was saying as he sat down.

"How was he?" Harry asked curiously.

"He knows what he's doing, that's for sure" Fred said while the other two nodded in agreement. Hermione looked at her timetable.

"We don't have him till Wednesday" She said disappointed. After eating they made their way out of the Hall waving at Hagrid who waved back happily. Harry and Hermione departed for Ancient Runes while Ron and Neville for Divination. Ron stiffly bid them good bye before parting ways with Harry and Hermione heading for the sixth floor while the other two for the seventh. Harry was a little sad about the way Ron was but he pushed it to the back of his mind. He did ask him and Divination was still a complete waste of time. They walked into the new classroom and Harry looked around at the ancient symbols and charts all around the rooms. They greeted everyone else that were already there who were surprised to find Harry there including Ernie Macmillan.

"Nice to see you again Harry, you've taken up Ancient Runes I see?" He asked pompously. Harry grinned and shook his hand.

"Yeah"

"If you ever need help don't ever hesitate to ask"

"Okay" Harry said disguising his laugh as a cough while Hermione smirked. They sat down together and waited for the rest of the students and teacher to show up. Harry suddenly felt someone tug at his hair from the back and turned to see Daphne grinning at him with Tracey Davis at her side.

"Hey Harry what are you doing here?" Daphne asked sitting beside him while Tracey sat on her left. Hermione was tactfully turned and started talking with Ernie and Susan Bones who were sitting behind them although everyone stole glances at them from time to time. It was a well-known gossip in Hogwarts that the Ice queen of Slytherin and Harry Potter were friends and seemed to cause a great deal of interest.

"I dropped Divination, this seemed good so I took it" Harry said grinning back. "Hey Davis"

"Potter" She answered coolly. Although they were on better relations than any Gryffindor and Slytherin it was only because of Daphne. Soon enough the door opened and professor Bathsheda walked in. She was a tall, thin raven haired witch that Harry knew by appearance and she was much like professor McGonagall in a lot of ways.

After taking attendance she talked to Harry and gave him some extra work that she promised would soon allow him to keep up with the rest of the class and proceeded on with the lesson. Harry found it a lot better than Divination and interesting and found by the end of the class that it would be a lot more useful when they reached rune inscriptions which could add magical properties and strengthen magical instruments, something that Harry along with the rest of the class were looking forward to. After parting ways with Daphne and Tracey they quickly headed down for an early supper. Harry had to go to meet Dumbledore and Hermione was anxious to get to the library. Harry didn't see Ron anywhere and assumed they were still at Divination and after hurriedly shoveling down his food he bolted off in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

"Lemon Drop" Harry said firmly to the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office which jumped aside granting him access. Harry climbed up the stairs and knocked and entered the room and his eyes widened.

"Sirius! Remus!" He shouted as his eyes picked out the two men grinning broadly at him standing in front of Dumbledore's desk. He ran and hugged both of them while Dumbledore chuckled softly and Fawkes trilled beautifully. Harry stepped back and gazed at his godfather and Lupin had both become fatherly figures to him. Sirius looked much better than he saw him last year and he closely resembled the laughing best man at the Potter's wedding day. His hair was just as long as Harry's, reaching to his shoulders although he hadn't tied it back and he was grinning broadly. Lupin was also smiling brightly at him although he looked a little frail and sickly.

"How are you pup? You've changed so much since I last saw you. Nice job on growing out your hair by the way, James tried to do it too but his mom wouldn't hear of it" Sirius said ruffling his hair.

"I've been great, but isn't this…?" Harry trailed off glancing around at the portraits and Dumbledore answered his unasked question.

"Nothing to worry about Harry, I have explained everything to them and no one apart from those in this room know of this" Harry nodded.

"But where are you staying? Not at Hogwarts right?" Harry asked looking at both of them.

"We're staying at Hog's head. The barman is Albus's brother, Aberforth" Harry gaped at Dumbledore who chuckled again.

"I'm sorry Harry, but there is a lot I haven't gotten around to telling you yet. Now, if you will excuse me I need to be somewhere at the moment, use the time to catch up" Dumbledore said before striding over to Fawke's who immediately turned into a ball of fire and vanished once Dumbledore's hands closed around its tail. Harry gasped.

"Dumbledore sure does travel in style" Sirius chuckled while the portraits laughed in amusement. Sirius waved his wand and conjured up a 3 chairs in the middle of the room and sat down with Lupin and Harry. Sirius's eyes darkened.

"Are you alright Harry? Dumbledore told me about your exposure to the cruciatus curse"

"It's alright, it just left a scar" Harry instantly knew he had said the wrong thing.

"It left a scar!" Sirius growled and Lupin had a dangerous look in his eyes. Harry nodded.

"Can you show us Harry?" Lupin asked quietly. Harry paused for a moment but then reached under his shirt and lifted it to show the darkened jagged scar that stopped halfway at his stomach. Lupin looked sickened and Sirius was growling like an animal. Some of the headmasters and the headmistresses on the wall emitted shrieks of outrage.

"The Dementor's kiss was too good for the bastard that did this" Sirius snarled. Lupin gripped his shoulder tightly and everyone fell silent for a while. Hoping to get rid of the tension that had built up Harry broke the silence.

"So where are we going to train?" Harry asked. Lupin smiled gratefully at him.

"The Room of Requirement"

"The what?"

"There's a room on the seventh floor that transforms into anything depending on the needs at the time Harry, I'm not surprised you haven't found it yet. Even I stumbled across it towards the end of our seventh year and by that time we had already finished writing the Marauder's map so we couldn't add it" Lupin said.

"Yeah, and we will be using it every day starting tomorrow from tomorrow for two hours from 8 to 10 alright?" Sirius said.

"Okay, but how are you going to get in? Wouldn't it be suspicious if a great black dog kept roaming around in school after dark?"

"There's a passage that connects it to Hog's head" Sirius said grinning.

"What?"

"Yeah, even I was shocked when Aberforth told me about it, thought he was off his rocker. There wasn't a single secret passage out of the school that we didn't know about but well, we were wrong" Sirius said.

"Alright…what are you going to teach me?" Harry asked looking at either of them excitedly. Sirius and Lupin laughed.

"I of course, being the greatest dueling champion that Hogwarts had ever seen, will be teaching you just that" Sirius said with a wide grin. Lupin rolled his eyes.

"I will help out on that part too Harry, there is a lot to teach you. Apart from that I will be teaching Occlumency"

"What's that?"

"You'll see" Lupin said with a smile. "To get into the room just come up to the seventh floor and stand in front of the blank wall opposite the statue. Tap the wall three time and the entrance will appear" Harry nodded.

"The Triwizard tournament eh? I wish I was back in my seventh year of Hogwarts. I'd give anything for a chance to compete" Sirius sighed. Then catching Harry's eye he grinned evilly, one that even Fred or George could never hope to match. "Speaking of that, what's this I hear about you and the Delacours? From what I heard from Dumbledore they seem to like you a lot. Dominique Delacour has apparently been asking a lot of questions about you from Dumbledore. Their daughters are part veela aren't they?" Harry felt his face rapidly warming up. Sirius and Lupin burst out laughing. "Fleur Delacour was it? James would be so proud"

"Sirius!" Harry yelped. After that they spent a little more time talking but Harry had to get back to the Gryffindor tower. Since he didn't have his invisibility cloak or the Marauder's map with him he stood a high chance of getting caught. After a final hug to both of them Harry stepped out of the office and went back to the common room to find Hermione and Ron waiting for him. Ron seemed to have forgotten about his earlier mood and was more interested to find out about Sirius and Lupin and soon after Harry had told them Hermione looked like she was going to die with envy.

"You will be learning all sorts of things that go beyond the seventh year even" She said enviously.

"Hermione, this means I have a lot more work than normal"

"So?" Harry rolled his eyes at Ron. Ron had no problem with this, much to Harry's relief. Work was something Ron worked hard to avoid and Harry knew that if he just let Hermione know some of what he learned every day she would be more than happy. And besides, she wasn't going to act like Ron. It was almost midnight when they finally headed to bed and Harry took off his glasses and his hairband before sighing contently and closing his eyes. Sirius was safe, Fleur would be at Hogwarts soon, everything was looking up.

**AN: I only realized when I was writing this that I don't like Ron at all lol. I can't wait to get started on the next chapter, hopefully where Fleur finally gets to Hogwarts. **

**I don't think I can keep up with the current rate of updates after this one, I was only able to write up this one because we have a holiday tomorrow :D Might take some time for the next one, might not, so I can't make promises. I also need to work on the next chapter for my story on the inheritance cycle. **

**Hope everyone enjoys this chapter :)**

**Please review and let me know what you think! **


	4. Chapter 4

**As always a big thank you to everyone that reviewed :) And also to everyone that add this to their alerts and fav lists, you guys all make my day! **

**Enjoy! (**_**French in italics…thoughts too but it shouldn't be too difficult to find the difference **_**xD)**

**Chapter 4**

"_Fleur you done packing?" _Aurélie asked poking her head into Fleur's room.

"_Yes, I already sent my trunk down" _

"_Get a move on! Madame Maxime wants us all down in fifteen minutes! Amy and Caroline are already there"_

"_I'm on my way" _Fleur said smiling slightly at the irritated look her friend was giving her.

"_If you're not down in another five minutes I'm coming back and dragging you down with me even if I have to stun you" _She grumbled. Fleur nodded and proceeded to make a final sweep around her room to make sure she had got everything. In Beauxbatons, everyone had their own personal rooms. One dormitory for the boys and one for the girls. She sat back down on her warm bed. Since she was going to be spending her final year at Hogwarts it was the last time that her door will hold the engraving 'Fleur Delacour' and the thought of it made her heart heavy with sadness.

Throughout her years in school her room was her only sanctuary where she was free from the lust filled looks of men and the death glares of women. It was in this same room that she spent most of her first year with tears sliding down her cheeks. It was into this same room that Aurélie had burst into to hide from a group of boys that had been trying to spike her drinks with love potions and led to her making her first friend. When they had realized how similar their situations were, they had become inseparable friends from that day onwards. With the company of her first friend she became a lot more open and relaxed which led to her finding two more close friends and by the end of the year the four of them were as close as friends could get. She sighed as she surveyed the room that had given her so many happy memories and a safe haven.

Her room now held no clue that she ever lived here. The wardrobes were empty, the photos of her family were gone, her bookshelf had been emptied and her table was polished and gleaming. She picked up her wand and stepped outside and closed the door. With a final wave of her wand her name faded away from the door. She felt a stab of pain in her heart but almost as soon as it had come it faded away, ridding her of her negative emotions. Her hand unconsciously went to her chest where she felt warmth radiating towards her fingers. After making sure her necklace was secure around her neck she started making her way downstairs remembering the words her grandmother had said to her.

On the night when they had gone to her grandmother's house where she lived alone except the house elves for company in spite of her family's protests. Fleur's mother had been almost ecstatic when she had asked Fleur to show her necklace to her grandmother. When she had obliged Alana had stared at it for a full minute before breaking down laughing, then pulling Fleur into a tight embrace and pulled away murmuring "_Good luck"._ Fleur and Gabrielle had been utterly bewildered by their parents and Alana's behavior and didn't know what to expect. Alana then asked who it was that sent it, and when she had heard it was Harry Potter she looked almost, pleased before her face twisted into what can only be described as the most evil grin they had ever seen on their grandmother's face yet. Once they finished their dinner Alana had pulled Fleur aside and after making Fleur swear she would not question the reasoning behind her words, she had said something that had left Fleur more confused than ever.

"_When the time comes, do what your heart tells you to" _Alana had refused to explain any further than that, promising that it would make sense eventually.

Fleur was at the courtyard in front of Beauxbatons now. The whole school had formed outside to see the selected few, around twenty students in all, off. Four mighty Abraxan horses were chained to the powder blue carriage pawing at the ground with their powerful legs and lifting their wings every now and then. When everyone noticed her they broke into loud cheers and wolf whistles although more than once she picked up some vulgar words that were issuing from the male population in the crowd. Over the course of her school years Fleur had gained the respect and admiration from most of her peers. The girls who had been initially jealous of her came to understand her position, especially after certain nasty incidents involving some of the boys which resulted in their expulsion from school. Almost everyone sympathized with her and had come to like her as a friend, especially after Fleur had started opening up to them, although there were still others that were blinded by their envy. Madame Maxime and the rest of the selected representatives along with a few teachers were waiting for her and she had a bright smile on her face. Madame Maxime always held a soft spot for the young Veela. She herself being a half giant understood the pain of being different.

Fleur managed a small smile and cursed herself inwardly for not leaving her room sooner, at least then she wouldn't have had to walk with the attention of the whole school on her. When she was closer to the carriage a boy suddenly grabbed her arm and she recoiled at the rough hand that closed around her arm. She felt her knees weaken and a sudden shiver ran through her whole body bringing up a number of dark memories. She tried to wrench her hand away but the dazed look on the boy's face told her that he was too far affected by her allure to see reason. Suddenly the boy was blasted a few feet backwards where he was lying in a crumpled heap. She looked up slowly to see Caroline and Amy were both pointing their wands with their faces twisted in rage at the boy who was now scrambling fearfully back into the crowd. Aurélie quickly walked towards her and put a comforting hand around her shoulders and led her to Madame Maxime and the others who were watching with concern.

"_Are you alright my dear?" _Madame Maxime asked as soon as they drew closer. Fleur was angry at herself for exhibiting her weakness and felt her face reddening and fixed her gaze on the ground.

"_Yes" _

"_Go inside dear, Aurélie, see to it that you both get settled in, everyone else follow in. I have a few instructions I need to give out before we leave, we will be leaving soon" _They all climbed onto the carriage with Fleur and Aurélie at the front followed closely by Amy and Caroline and the others. None of them spared a backward glance at the mass of students assembled outside. As soon as they entered the carriage everyone burst into peals delight. The inside of the carriage was magically expanded to contain a number of rooms along a narrow corridor. One of the rooms was a single classroom and the rest of the rooms were exact replicas of their rooms back in their dormitories. Fleur felt the corners of her mouth twitch upwards when she found a familiar looking door with her name written across it in elegant silver letters. She opened it to find her room exactly the same as she remembered every year after she had unpacked.

"_I was going to tell you but I thought it'd be amusing to watch you get so emotional over a room" _Aurélie said her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"_I wish you had told me, I could have avoided a lot of fuss if I had come down earlier" _Fleur grumbled sinking into her bed while the others seated themselves on the chairs lying next to the window.

"_That boy that grabbed your hand…it was that fool Jean" _Amy growled.

"_Ah…I am glad I finally got a chance to curse him. Had been one of my the things on my to-do list before I left school" _Caroline said fingering her wand lovingly. _"My only regret is none of my other curses got through to him"_

"_What do you mean?" _Fleur asked eyeing the red haired witch apprehensively.

"_Madame Maxime created a barrier around him, if she didn't well…let's just say he wouldn't be able to call himself a man anymore" _She purred out the last bit sending chills down everyone's spine.

"_You scare me sometimes" _Aurélie said and the redhead burst out laughing.

"_Did you see his face at the end? It was so priceless" _She gasped out and then was overcome by a fit of giggles making everyone smile in amusement. Suddenly they felt the carriage vibrate slightly silencing all of them. Then Amy squealed in excitement.

"_We're on our way!" _Everyone got up and rushed to the window. Sure enough they were steadily gaining height and Beauxbatons had already disappeared from view, covered by a few clouds. After watching for a few moments everyone sat back down.

"_We should be at Hogwarts tomorrow I think" _Amy said thoughtfully. Caroline and Aurélie's faces suddenly fixed into identical grins and eyed Fleur making her groan. She knew what was coming.

"_Only one more day until we finally meet the boy that charmed our Fleur right?" _Aurélie asked.

"_Still, who knew you were so daring, a younger boy and an international celebrity at that" _Caroline said. _"Would you mind if I borrowed him sometimes?" _Everyone burst into laughter when Fleur squirmed uncomfortably. As soon as they had met in school her friends had been bothering her nonstop about the necklace she wore, when she had finally caved in and told them everything they had been teasing her nonstop over the past few days.

"_He and I are just friends" _Fleur said weakly.

"_No, we are your friends, he is…more" _Amy said still smiling broadly. _"He even got you something for your birthday even though you'd only met once" _She finished eyeing Fleur's necklace longingly. Everyone had gone into transports of delight when they had seen it.

"_Don't try to deny it Fleur, from what you have said he doesn't even fall for your allure" _Aurélie said cutting Fleur off when she opened her mouth to protest.

"_For god's sake Fleur you actually smile when you talk about him without you realizing it yet, it's so obvious to us how much you're taken with him" _Caroline said.

"_That's not true!" _Fleur exclaimed.

"_Look at yourself now" _Everyone dissolved into peals of laughter when Fleur reddened when she realized what they were saying was right and she seized her pillow and threw it as hard as she could at Caroline.

"_Who do you think will get in?"_ Amy asked once they had all managed to calm down.

"_It will be either Fleur, Caroline or Amy" _Aurélie said with conviction. _"I'm glad that Madame didn't let Pauline come to represent us, things would really have gone downhill then"_ Pauline was a curly brown haired girl who was very competitive. She was often referred to as the bookworm of Beauxbatons and it was known throughout the school that she hated both Fleur and Caroline with passion, declaring that both of them were only good in their studies because they charmed the teachers with their pretty looks.

"_If that brat was chosen might as well just give up on a Beauxbatons victory, she can't do anything that isn't written down on a manual. She'd probably spend her time trying to decide which spell to use while the other champions had already finished their tasks" _Amy said scathingly.

"_I don't think we will be chosen according to our grades, I think everyone has an equal chance of getting chosen" _Caroline said after a while.A few minutes passed and they could hear faint noises outside the door.

"_Better return to our rooms then, I think I hear Madame Maxime coming" _Amy said standing up and stretching. Sure enough the sound of footsteps was approaching.

"_Everyone return to your rooms, we will be turning off the lights soon" _Madame Maxime's voice echoed through the carriage.

"_Goodnight everyone" _Caroline said stifling a yawn. After bidding each other goodnight they left leaving Fleur sitting in her bed.

_Hogwarts _Fleur mused, changing into her night clothes. She looked fondly at the gleaming blue stone before climbing into her bed and snuggling under the covers. It was still rather early but she was feeling tired, the day had taken its toll on her. _What are you doing now Harry?_

* * *

Harry Potter was panting hard, his body drenched with sweat. He was inside the Room of Requirement and his godfather was mercilessly firing curses at him. He dodged a blue light that issued from Sirius's wand and yelled "_Protego" _and watched as the blue light rebounded causing Sirius to duck. Harry relaxed but immediately realized his mistake. His shield was shattered by a blinding flash of blue again and hardly having time to react he could only watch as a red light slammed into his body and blacked out.

Harry groaned when he sat up with Sirius crouching next to him. This was the 7th time he was reawakened by Sirius now. Lupin who was sitting in a chair next to the fireplace reading a book and completely oblivious to the spells firing at opposite directions through the room now stood up and replaced the book back in the shelf next to him and sank back down on his seat.

"Impressive Harry, to be able to produce a shield charm already is quite an accomplishment. When did you learn it?" Harry shakily got up, after hitting the ground multiple times his sense of balance was distorted and the world seemed to be spinning in front of his eyes. He sank down to the chair next to Lupin eyeing Sirius wearily who had his back turned to them.

"In the book Sirius sent me, I've been practicing" Sirius suddenly turned around; it was a very dog-like movement.

"From which book?" Harry looked away uncomfortably; he knew what Sirius was getting at. He had only practiced the spells from the _Defense Theory_. He seemed to gather the worst from Harry's face and snorted. He could tell his godfather was not pleased with him.

The first time they had dueled, Sirius had flicked away Harry's disarming spell and struck him directly at his midsection causing Harry to fall to his knees in pain. Sirius was no longer the caring godfather in their duels. He was like a demon and his face seemed to go back to the haunted look he had on the night Harry had first met him in the Shrieking Shack. Sirius had made no comment after each of their duels over the past couple of days and had kept knocking Harry unconscious and reawakening him only to knock him out again while Lupin watched grimly from the sides.

"Harry, it's time we talked" Sirius said abruptly. Harry eyed him apprehensively and waited for him to speak. "Why were you beaten so easily that first time we dueled?"

"Because you deflected my spell?"

"And what was that spell?" Harry remained quiet. "Granted, you have lasted a lot longer over the next few duels, why do you think that is?" Sirius asked.

Harry remained silent for a few moments, painfully aware both Lupin and Sirius were watching him closely. "Because I stopped trying to disarm you"

"Indeed" Silence reigned once more. "Why did you lose just now?"

"Because I relaxed for a moment" Harry said quietly.

"Yes…and no. Tell me Harry, what is the purpose of a wizard's duel? Is it to disarm your opponent? Or is it to constantly keep dodging curses and erecting barrier after barrier while your opponent keeps up a steady stream of attacks? Who do you think will tire first? What if your opponent used magic that cannot be blocked?" Sirius whispered. "If this were a real duel, who do you think will be lying face down on the ground?" When Harry didn't answer Sirius leaned forward and gripped Harry's shoulders. "Look at me pup" Harry slowly looked up and found himself staring at Sirius's eyes and was startled to see they were watery.

"Harry, you make me proud. What you have done up till now are beyond extraordinary, you make us all proud. I can almost hear James bragging about his son. But you must understand, you need to get better than that. I don't like it, I want more than anything for you to live your life the same way your father, Moony and I did. But the way things are shaping up now leaves me no choice. You are the last remaining member of my family; you are the son I never had. I…no we cannot afford to lose you. Do you understand?"

Harry was ashamed and embarrassed at the same time. But he knew the truth behind Sirius's words. He looked at Sirius and Lupin who smiled encouragingly at him and finally nodded. Sirius smiled and leaned back while Lupin brought out three bottles of butterbeer. Harry felt his vision clearing and his head finally stopped pounding.

"Alright then, let's start from the beginning" Sirius said, his eyes gleaming slightly. "To win a duel Harry, disregard what the normal rules say. That is the sort of dueling for competitions. In a real duel where there are no restrictions, there is only one way to win. Strike first, and strike hard. Never give your enemy an opportunity to counter attack. The minute you are forced to be on the defensive you give your enemy plenty of opportunities to retaliate and effectively end the duel. Only use defensive spells as a distraction to position yourself better to attack"

Harry voiced a question that had been nagging at the back of his mind. "What was the spell you used to break through my shields?" Sirius grinned back sinisterly which sent shivers down his spine.

"_Contego Talea"_

Harry's eyes widened. He knew that spell; he actually had read about it in the second book that Sirius sent to him along with _Defense Theory. _The large black book with its title faded away was filled with an arsenal of offensive spells andHarry had been almost nauseated when reading half the spells in it which were extremely powerful and brutal in nature. The spell was classified as 'dark magic' by the ministry due to its capabilities of taking down almost any shield that was known in magic and banned from professional duels.

"But…" Sirius held up his hand.

"How could I use a spell of that caliber?" Sirius finished Harry's sentence. "Because I can" Sirius chuckled at Harry's expression.

"Harry do you really think that the Death Eaters or Voldemort would play by the rules?" Lupin said quietly. "The only reason why we lost so many people in the past to Voldemort and his followers were because we had a misguided sense of justice, or morality…call it what you will. We thought we were above those spells. That we don't need to resort to such barbaric methods. The Death Eaters have no such reservations, they aim to kill"

"I know it is classified as dark magic Harry but what makes it so? Apart from the greater drain in energy what makes it dark?" Harry opened his mouth but shut it again confused. "Is it the nature of the spell? Magic is magic in the end. In the past magic was never differentiated as light or dark as we do now. It is the wizard that uses it that determines the nature of the spell, whether he uses the spell to destroy or protect is entirely up to him" Sirius was now pacing the room impatiently trying to make Harry understand.

"The limitations placed on the practice of these spells by the ministry years and years ago were to stop witches and wizards from casting spells beyond their grasp and draining their energy. The need for such spells gradually faded away until Voldemort came into power. You have proven to be more than an exceptional wizard Harry. Dumbledore's uneasiness is a very bad sign, when he says something is bad, you can surely expect things to go downhill. When the time comes you need to be properly prepared" Lupin finished quietly. Harry was silent for a long time as he pondered the implications of Lupin and Sirius's words.

"There is nothing else for it pup; do you want to get stronger?" Sirius asked stopping his pacing and turning to look at Harry straight in his eyes. After a long while Harry nodded silently. "Then are you prepared to do what is necessary?" Harry nodded again, this time with more conviction. Sirius's face broke into a wide smile. "Alright, I don't think we'll carry on for longer today, it's already 11. Although the day after tomorrow we won't be able to practice right?"

"Yeah, the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are arriving…don't think I can miss the feast" Sirius nodded.

"Any particular reason you don't want to miss the feast?" Sirius suddenly quipped with an evil grin while Lupin looked around interested.

"N..no…it's just…" Harry trailed off mumbling inaudibly looking away. Sirius and Lupin looked at each other before roaring in laughter.

"I know we always said you are a lot like your mother but there are some things that make you so much like James at the same time" Lupin said smiling broadly. "He didn't want us to know at first that he and Lily were going out but we found out anyway, so before they would go on dates we would ask him and he reacts the exact same way as you do"

"Am I right in assuming that a certain Miss Delacour goes to Beauxbatons?" Sirius asked ait nd immediately ducked when Harry sent a stinging hex at him.

"Alright alright, Albus will have our head for keeping him this long…by the way Harry we will have to postpone occlumency lessons to next week" Lupin said gathering up the empty bottles and placing them inside a bin that appeared at the corner of the room. The room itself was a wonder; it was lined with bookshelves containing books on occlumency and books on Defense and the Dark Arts that seemed to have been taken directly from the restricted section of the library. The room was wide and spacious and there were 3 armchairs next to a fireplace at the left corner. Once they had started dueling and after Harry was knocked unconscious once he wished he could have had a softer landing and almost immediately caught sight of a few cushions that appeared next to him. Landing on them was another matter though, Sirius kept him constantly moving. "That's interesting, where do the bottles go?" Lupin asked mildly interested when the bottles vanished along with their container. Sirius shrugged.

"To the kitchens maybe?"

"Why can't we start on the weekend?" Harry asked.

"It's the full moon. I won't be in a good enough condition"

"Wh…oh that problem" Lupin smiled.

"My furry little problem" Harry grinned.

"Alright Harry we'll see you tomorrow, oh…and make sure you learn that spell, I won't be satisfied until you learn at least some of the spells in that book. The shield breaking charm is extremely useful" Sirius called before stepping through the large portrait that was in fact a tunnel that led straight to Hog's Head. "Goodnight!" both Sirius and Lupin waved at him.

"'night" Harry called back before throwing on his invisibility and pulling out the Marauders map.

"_I solemnly swear I am up to no good" _Harry waited for the ink to spread fully over the parchment and made sure the coast was clear before he stepped outside. As soon as the door shut behind him it solidified into the wall leaving no trace of it. Harry carefully made his way into the Gryffindor tower and after giving the password to a very cranky Fat Lady who was annoyed at being woken up climbed in and thankfully made his way to his bed wiping the map clear. Not even bothering to undress he fell on to the bed and had barely removed his glasses and hairband before he drifted off to sleep, welcoming the comforts of sleep.

* * *

Harry woke up in the middle of the night with his head throbbing painfully and silently got up to get himself a drink of water. His scar suddenly seared with pain and his vision suddenly blurred and he was looking at darkened shapes and he could hear faint whispering. As soon as it came, the vision and the pain in his scar faded away but the damage was done, he knew he wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep again. Glancing at the clock on the wall he groaned. It was still 2 in the morning. Sighing he picked up his invisibility cloak and the map and after hesitating a moment, picked up the black book instead of his copy of _Defense Theory _and stuffed it in a bag with his school books for classes later today. The last few years he had only survived his encounters with Voldemort and the dark creatures due to sheer luck and a lot of help, might as well start changing it. The constant pains in his scar and the blurred visions along with Dumbledore's warning at the start of the year had lit a flame in him, fuelling him with a drive to get better. Over the past few days it had become almost a routine for him to be woken up in the early hours of the morning. Instead of trying to go back to sleep which he quickly realized was impossible, he had taken to slipping out of the castle using a well hidden secret passage in the 3rd floor which led straight to the school grounds and practicing spells in a secluded spot next to the great lake. After throwing the cloak over him and tucking the book safely under his arm he climbed out of the portrait ignoring the startled gasp from the Fat Lady and stealthily made his way to the 3rd floor edging around the teachers on patrol and after a few minutes he came out to the quiet and darkened school grounds with a cold breeze blowing around him.

Removing the cloak he stuffed it inside his bag, he doubted anyone could see him in the darkness and made his way to his spot next to the lake under the guidance of the moonlight. Pulling out the book once he reached his destination he lit his wand silently, Sirius had already given him instructions to do his basic spells non-verbally in preparation for the more advanced ones. So far Harry could only manage _"Lumos" _non-verbally. After carefully reading the wand movements and theory behind _"Contego Talea" _he conjured up a target dummy and reinforced it with a basic shielding charm. After casting the spell for the first time he felt his legs weaken with the huge drain the spell cost him and he could only manage a faint blue spark that did nothing whatsoever to the target. Grimacing slightly he leaned back against a tree and decided to wait a little before trying again. This was exactly like how it was when he first tried the Patronous charm. After resting a moment he tried again, this time paying more attention to the wand movements with similar results.

_Well, this is going to be tough_

* * *

It was almost 6 in the morning when the sun finally came up. Harry was breathing hard like he had run a hundred laps around the lake but was nevertheless pleased with the end result. He had managed to break through the shielding charm and scored a direct hit on the target. True, it wasn't as powerful as Sirius's but it was an accomplishment all the same. Unable to ignore the hunger that had been growing steadily over the past few hours he stuffed everything inside his bag and made his way back to the castle and into one of the bathrooms. Freshening himself up and using a charm on his clothes that wiped out all traces of the lingering smell of sweat making them as good as new he made his way to the Great Hall where by now the rest of the students were already there. He made his way to the Gryffindor table ignoring the stares as normal and slipped into a seat next to Ron, Hermione and the twins. Ignoring their gazes he piled his plate with food and started to eat. After ignoring them for as long as he could he looked up annoyed.

"What?" He asked irritably.

"You look like a mess" Hermione said. Harry stared at her for a couple of moments and then shrugged. True to her words though, the area under his eyes had darkened and his eyes were had an almost dead look on them. Practicing magic in the dead of the night coupled with his lack of sleep was taking its toll on him.

"It's nothing"

"Where do you keep going Harry? Ron said you never came back after you left in the evening" Hermione asked unaware of how much it was irritating Harry.

"Well he was asleep wasn't he?" Harry snapped back. It was bad enough that he was tiring himself out every day and to listen to Hermione's constant nagging only added to his stress. She fell silent and no more words were exchanged between the three of them. Harry couldn't help but notice how strained their friendship was getting. Hermione was, probably for the first time of her life, challenged in school work. Harry had been giving her a run for her money in each and every one of her classes and at the end of the day they remained the only two who could fully complete anything their teachers set for them and everyone did not fail to see her displeasure of it. Harry was particularly good in Transfiguration much to McGonagall's immense pride and the rest of the teachers were pleased with him. Even Snape couldn't do anything more than sneer at him. Ron too was getting irritated with the way things were going, especially since he no longer could rely on Hermione for help since she was so intent on beating Harry. He was put out by Harry's behavior and had taken to talking with Dean and Seamus in lessons preferring to stay out of the other two's way. But it wasn't hard to see that he resented the way Harry was changing.

McGonagall leaned closer to Dumbledore and she like him was intently watching Harry who was eating silently. "Are you sure you did the right thing Albus? Telling the boy all that?" Dumbledore sighed and looked sadly back at her.

"It was inevitable, from what I have seen there are a lot of things going wrong. Bertha Jorkins disappeared where Voldemort…" He paused to stare sternly at McGonagall who shuddered involuntarily. "She disappeared where he was last known to have been. The Minister for Magic refuses to see reason and the attack on Alastor has only increased my worry. I'm convinced that whoever conjured the Dark Mark did it as a sign to the others that the Dark Lord would rise again. With the way things are going Harry would do well to be more prepared"

"What about his godfather…and Remus?" Dumbledore had confided to McGonagall only about the truth behind Sirius Black and she was the only one apart from him and Harry's friends that knew he was receiving lessons at night from them.

"They don't like it any more than you or I do. But they agreed its best. Sirius was actually the one that suggested the whole thing after Harry told him about his vision"

"That may be so Albus and I can honestly say I'm pleased with the way Harry has improved. But it is taking the toll on him, every night he is outside and comes in only in the morning" Dumbledore smiled inwardly. She would never admit it but she held a soft spot for Harry since the day she had seen him as a baby before they left him under the muggle's care.

"The sooner he completes his training the better. I shudder to think what would have happened if Mr. Delacour hadn't arrived in time to help Harry. He attracts trouble like no other and he will has to be prepared. In the future he will be glad for everything he's learning now" Dumbledore said gently. McGonagall finally nodded and turned away. Dumbledore sadly watched as Harry tiredly got up from the table and walked away. _There is still a lot more I haven't told you Harry, I wanted you to grow up and have a happy life but with what's happening now, I can only hope you will be prepared when I tell you everything. _

Harry slowly made his way to the dungeons ignoring the gazes from the girls around him. He had been surprised when two girls, a Ravenclaw fourth year and a Gryffindor fifth year, asked him out for the next Hogsmeade weekend which he had politely declined, he hated the way their eyes always flitted to his scar first which irked him to no end. As soon as he reached the dungeons he completely ignored Malfoy who shouted something at him and slipped into his seat and waited for the class to begin. Potions had become almost bearable. He found that the best way to shut Snape up was to just finish the work that was set by him as carefully as possible which almost always left Snape speechless.

"You look like you could do with some sleep Potter"

"Hey Daphne" Harry said turning to grin at Daphne who had just arrived. She sat at the table in front of him.

"You alright?" She asked with a faint note of concern in her voice.

"What? Don't tell me the Ice Queen is actually concerned about me now?" Harry asked mischievously.

"In your dreams Potter" She said coolly grinning back. Harry laughed, she was at least different from the others, she never seemed to act differently around him and that made him grateful to her. At that moment Ron and Hermione came in and slid into their seats next to Harry. Daphne smiled coldly at them at them and turned around to talk with Tracey who had just arrived too along with another one of her friends. Harry was not in the mood for talking with either of them and was thankful when Snape walked in effectively ending all conversations.

"Today you will be making a Strengthening solution, the instructions…" He flicked his wand at the board which suddenly filled with writing, "are on the board and all the supplies are in the cupboard. Well? What are you waiting for? Get started" Snape said leering at Neville who was sitting behind Harry who swallowed nervously. Harry quickly got up and got the ingredients and quickly came back and proceeded to carefully read the instructions. After double checking with the book he carefully followed the instructions blocking out everything else that was going on around the room. He found that it was the best way he could reach the goal of the lesson; it was very easy to get distracted and slip up if you spent your time looking around the room. Harry determinedly kept his concentration focused on his potion and after about 45 minutes he had a colorless mixture in front of him, exactly the way the book described it. Snape who was strolling around the room paused and Harry stifled a laugh when he walked away quickly with no comment. He looked at his watch and gasped when he realized he had about half an hour remaining until class finished. He looked around to find that no one else was finished yet. Hermione was getting increasingly bad tempered next to him. She was almost there of course, but Harry had been faster.

"If you're done Potter don't just stay there, bring a sample over and get out" Snape called. Harry was slightly taken aback but nevertheless he poured filled a flask with his potion and walked over to Snape's desk and placed it in front and quickly grabbed his bag and walked out after clearing the contents in his cauldron. He vaguely wondered why Snape had let him go but he made his way back to the Gryffindor tower seeing as he had another two hours left before his next and final lesson for the day before they were to meet outside the castle to greet the foreign students. The corners of his mouth twitch upwards at the thought of seeing Fleur. He was really looking forward to seeing her again; a part of him was worried a little though that she might have chosen not to wear the necklace he sent her. It was only days after he thought it would have been better if he got her something a lot less personal. Cursing himself silently he staggered onto his bed and closed his eyes and fell asleep without realizing it.

He woke up just in time to make a mad dash for Defense against the Dark Arts. Hermione glanced at him worriedly as he dropped to his seat next to her but he was slightly pleased that she didn't nag him about it. Ron nodded at him, a gesture which Harry returned.

"Alright then, everyone back on your feet" Moody said whipping out his wand. After they had gotten to their feet he made the tables pile together at the back of the class with a wave of his wand. "I will be performing the Imperius curse on each and every one of you" Hermione squeaked and a number of other students backed away nervously. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE" Moody roared making everyone jump. "What would you do if a witch or wizard casts it on you? Would you rather face it unprepared or do you want to see for yourself if you can stand a chance against it? It is not impossible to break free of it although it is wiser to avoid being hit with it if you can. A witch or wizard with a strong mental capabilities can break free of it, let's see how far along you lot are. Now, Miss Patil, forward if you please" The events that followed had Harry trying as hard as he could not to laugh as each and every one of his classmates did bizarre stunts that no one could have thought possible. Hermione sang the Hogwarts anthem while tap dancing, Ron imitated a chicken, Neville performed a series of complex gymnastics, Seamus conjured a bunch of roses and knelt on one knee and proposed to a bright red Lavender Brown and so on. Harry could have sworn he saw Moody smirking, he was enjoying this and Harry would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying the show. Finally it was Harry's turn. He went to the front of the middle and waited. Moody pointed his wand at him.

"_Imperio"_

A curious sensation spread through Harry, his mind was blissfully calm and he felt like he was floating away without a care in the world. A voice suddenly sounded at the back of his mind.

"_Jump onto the desk"_ Immediately he felt a surge of anger pass through him. Why should he?

"_No" _A firm voice at the back of his mind stated.

"_Jump onto the desk now!"_

"_No, why should I?" _

"_Jump now boy!"_

"NO!" Harry roared. Harry realized then that the he had shouted out loud. The whole class was watching him wide eyed. Moody suddenly started laughing.

"Very nice Mr. Potter, look at that you lot! He resisted it, he actually threw it off! 10 points to Gryffindor. Again, show them how it's done. Watch his eyes, that's where you will see the change"

Harry growled softly while he walked out of the class at the end of the lesson. Moody had put him through the curse five times in a row until he could just shrug it off. Ron and Hermione suddenly appeared on either side of him.

"How did you do it Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry was annoyed but he kept it hidden. He didn't want to keep blowing them off no matter how irritating it was.

"I don't really know, I just ignore what he tells me"

"You can actually hear him telling you what to do?" Ron asked wide eyed.

"Don't you?" Harry asked surprised.

"No, all I felt was this weird feeling of happiness and I just…thought it'd be fun to imitate a chicken" Ron finished sheepishly. Hermione nodded vigorously.

"It was the same with me"

"I…don't know then" Harry said evasively. He glanced at his watch. "Better get outside then, I'm going to leave my bag at the tower" After they had left their belongings in the Gryffindor tower they walked out to the school yard where the entire school was assembled. The heads of houses were trying to get everyone organized by year. As soon as they walked in McGonagall beckoned them and placed them with the rest of the fourth years. Before she turned away though she eyed Harry closely.

"Mr. Potter why isn't your hair tied back?" Harry reached behind his head and realized that his hair wasn't tied back anymore. He must have lost his band, probably sometime during his last class.

"I think I lost it professor" He mumbled.

"Never mind, here…" She conjured a red colored band and gave it to Harry who gratefully took it muttering thanks and proceeded to tie back his hair. "Weasley, tuck your shirt in. Longbottom wipe the dirt from your face" She barked at them before moving away.

"Bloody hell, why is she so uptight today?" Ron moaned.

"Guess they want to make a good impression on the others when they arrive" Harry muttered. He was getting nervous now and was slowly getting excited. His heart skipped a couple of beats when he an image of the silver haired witch formed unbidden in his mind. Thankfully no one saw his face redden a little and he silently cursed himself for feeling like this. He could make neither head nor tail why she affected him like this. After taking a couple of calming breaths he, like the others started looking around for signs of the other's arrival.

"How do you think they're coming? Train?" Ron whispered from behind him.

"Of course not Ron" Hermione hissed.

"How then? Broomsticks? Or are they apparating?"

"You can't apparate into the Hogwarts grounds Ron, how many times do I have to tell you? Is it only me that has ever read _Hogwarts: A History_?" Harry who heard this chuckled softly earning him a playful jab at his ribs from Hermione.

"Only you Hermione" Ron said catching Harry's eye and grinning. At that moment Dumbledore's voice sounded loudly.

"Unless I'm mistaken I believe the delegation from Durmstrang approaches!" Cries rang out excitedly from the students as everyone looked wildly around. A faint sound was gradually getting louder and louder, like water was being drained.

"THE LAKE! LOOK AT THE LAKE!" Someone from the crowd shouted suddenly and everyone turned towards the lake. Although they were a little way away from the lake it wasn't difficult to see that a whirlpool was slowly getting wider and wider. Slowly, a mast appeared which quickly grew larger. A skeletal green ship slowly emerged from under the water, light gleaming from its portholes. The first years went into transports of delight and a series of clicks and flashes announced that many of the muggle borns had brought their cameras. The eerie green ship came to rest near the banks and people began disembarking, everyone, Harry noted, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle and they waited patiently as the group approached them, a rather tall, thin man leading the group.

"Albus, how good to see you again" The man said spreading out his arms in welcome. The man's voice was cold and bore an uncanny resemblance to Snape's. His chin was incompletely covered by a goatee which ended in a small curl and his pale blue eyes were icy giving them a dead look.

"Igor" Dumbledore smiled as he embraced the man. The students from Durmstrang approached from behind and they were finally able to get a look at them. Their bulk was due to the fact that they were wearing large fur coats which they gave no indication of wanting to remove them anytime soon. Most of the students were boys but there were quite a few girls too. They were all gazing up at Hogwarts and Harry could tell most of them were impressed. Harry's eyes caught sight of an all too familiar scowling face and he could tell by the sharp jab he received on his elbow from Ron that he had seen him too.

"Harry! That's Krum!" He hissed. All around them everyone were muttering excitedly as everyone noticed the Bulgarian Seeker. Excited whispers broke out among them and almost everyone were trying to find a quill and parchment to get an autograph. "Do you have a quill on you?" Ron asked hurriedly making Hermione roll her eyes.

"No, I left my stuff back in the tower" Harry replied. Krum was pointedly ignoring the stares on him, his eyes looking at the castle with a bored look.

"Honestly, why is everyone so excited?" Hermione asked disgustedly looking at a group of girls who were debating rather loudly if Krum would sign their clothes with lipstick.

"Hermione! He's like the greatest Seeker in the world! And he's still in school too" Ron said as if he had settled the matter. Suddenly the Weasley twins appeared behind him with identical evil grins and made kissing noises loudly behind Ron making everyone burst out laughing and Ron's ears go red and mutter a few words that he would never have done under the presence of his mother. Harry grinned and turned back to the Durmstrang students who were walking into the castle, some of them removing their fur coats. They were wearing a deep, blood red colored set of robes underneath which were similar to the Hogwarts ones in every way except color. Once the initial excitement had died down everyone went back to their silent vigil listening intently for any sound that would announce the arrival of the Beauxbatons delegation. Harry was getting nervous by the minute and his heart was hammering in his chest. What if Fleur wasn't chosen to be one of the few to represent the school? He immediately crushed the thought, that wasn't possible. About 5 more minutes passed until someone yelled "THERE!" It was one of the second years and he was pointing at the sky where a dark shape was rapidly approaching.

"What is that?" Colin Creevey asked snapping photo after photo at the dark shape that was gradually getting bigger.

"It's a carriage!" Fred shouted. And sure enough, it was. A gleaming blue carriage loomed closer and closer and in front, pulling them were four dark grey winged horses. They landed with a crash just a few feet in front of them and everyone instinctively drew back. The horses were much larger than Hippogriffs and their hooves were the size of large dinner plates. Hagrid clapped his hands excitedly which drew many amused looks and Dumbledore looked at him with his eyes twinkling. The carriage was large too, it was as big as a normal house. The door opened and a figure jumped out and waved his wand and some steps appeared connecting the doorstep to the ground. A large woman stepped out eliciting whispers of awe from the crowd. The woman moved with an elegance that was only matched by a few and she had handsome, olive-skinned features with warm black eyes. She wore robes of black satin and as she approached the rest of the students followed through. Most of them were girls, wearing light blue silky dresses. Their dresses were knee length while the boys, wore robes of the same color. All of the girls had their faces wrapped in shawls hiding them from view and they seemed to be shivering. None of them seemed to want to remove their shawls and Harry's heart sank, he needed to know that Fleur was there.

"Albus eet iz a pleasure to finally meet een person" the large woman said extending her hand towards him.

"My dear Olympe, it is an honor" Dumbledore said kissing her hand.

"Igor arrived already?" She asked. Her voice was gentle, almost like a cat purring.

"Yes, they are inside, let us go in…you may sit anywhere you find comfortable" Dumbledore added kindly to the students behind her who were shivering.

"Oui, but our 'orses need to be taken care of" She said.

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Rubeus Hagrid will do it" Dumbledore said gesturing at Hagrid who came up smiling.

"Olympe Maxime, a pleasure meester 'Agrid" Maxime said smiling at him. Harry noticed that she was slightly taller than Hagrid. "Might I inform you zat ze 'orses drink only single malt whisky?"

"I will see to it" Hagrid said bowing. Dumbledore turned around and motioned for the others to follow them and everyone went inside to the Entrance hall. Harry was depressed now, he kept lagging back trying to get a glimpse of the students but he couldn't find her. Some of the girls had taken off their shawls but he couldn't recognize any of them. He sighed and followed after Ron and Hermione who were a few yards ahead of him and made to walk into the Great hall when a melodious voice sounded behind him which froze him in place.

"'Arry?" Harry turned around hardly daring to believe it. He caught a brief glimpse of silver before he was pulled into a hug and he felt his heart skip a couple of beats before he recognized her. Her scent was something that was imprinted in his mind and there was no mistaking it. She drew back still holding his arms, her shawl lying on shoulders. She was as breathtakingly beautiful as he remembered, maybe more. Her sapphire blue eyes were twinkling brightly and his eyes fell on her pink colored lips that were parted slightly, the last observation making him blush. She laughed in her lilting voice and embraced him again and Harry smiled, returning the embrace. When they drew apart he noticed only then that everyone else was frozen in place looking at them. Dumbledore and Maxime were looking at the pair of them smiling widely and he could have sworn he saw Dumbledore wink. The boys around them were staring open mouthed and had dazed looks in their eyes while some of the girls were glaring at Fleur. One of the Beauxbatons students suddenly laughed which seemed to bring everyone around them back to their senses.

"Shall we?" Dumbledore asked and Maxime nodded and they made their way towards the teacher's table down at the end of the Great hall.

Harry grinned at Fleur who smiled back at him while the rest of the Beauxbatons students were watching Harry closely. As they walked in Harry realized all of the four house tables were stretched longer and that the Durmstrang students were sitting with the Slytherins. He made his way to the Gryffindor table and slid into the seat next to Hermione who was staring wide eyed at Fleur who smiled at her before sliding into the seat next to Harry. Ron went purple and looked like a goldfish struggling to breathe when his eyes fell on Fleur much to Harry's amusement. The rest of the Beauxbatons students took their seats in the Gryffindor table too. Harry was deeply aware of the jealous looks on him from all around the room and he determinedly ignored them, he was too happy to care just then. Dumbledore stood up smiling and the whispers died down.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! I hope you will find your stay here comfortable and will take the opportunity to make new friends, I have a few things I must address about the tournament but unfortunately we must wait for one of the officials is running a little late. I am sure that you have all had a tiring journey, so let me invite everyone to feast with us" Dumbledore took his seat and the plates in front of them filled with food. Harry noticed that there were a lot of unusual dishes that he had never seen before which, from the appreciative murmurs from the Beauxbatons students, must be some of their national dishes. Everyone piled their food onto their plates and soon the hall was filled with the voices and laughter.

"Well, 'ow about introducing us Fleur?" A blue haired girl asked who was sitting opposite them.

"Oh, 'Arry, I'd like you to meet my closest friends, zis is Aurélie, and zese two are Caroline and Amy" Fleur said gesturing at a pretty red haired girl who smiled at him in a way that made him uncomfortable, and a blonde haired girl who smiled gently at him.

"Harry Potter, it's a pleasure to meet you" Harry said grinning at them. The red haired girl cocked her head sideways.

"Didn't we meet at the World Cup?" She asked, her accent was surprisingly good. He thought for a moment and remembered the girl that had waved at him.

"Near the tent right?"

"You remembered!" She exclaimed and Harry nodded. Fleur looked surprised.

"When was zis?" She asked looking surprised. Caroline laughed.

"Remember I told you about the boy that I thought looked good for an Englishman?" She said and Harry blushed making Fleur and the others laugh while some of the Beauxbatons students who heard this grinned at Harry.

"She iz always like zis 'Arry, don't worry about it" Aurélie said grinning at Harry while Caroline pouted.

"I'm not always like this, but for you maybe…" She said suggestively smiling provocatively at him making him squirm uncomfortably. By the looks of amusement the rest of the Beauxbatons students they seemed to be used to her behavior. Caroline caught sight of Fleur giving her the tiniest hints of a glare and couldn't stop the smile that tugged her lips; this was going to be fun. "And I think that person who hasn't stopped staring at Fleur since we sat down is the one that was with you next to you on that day?" She asked pointing at Ron who immediately received a very painful elbow at his side from Seamus. He had indeed been staring with a dazed look at Fleur the whole time and Harry felt a surge of anger pass through him. The way he, and actually most of the other boys on the Gryffindor table were staring at Fleur was nauseating. Ron came to his senses just then and stammered something incomprehensible and quailed under Caroline and the rest of the Beauxbatons student's gaze. That seemed to snap most of the others out of their daze and they hurriedly busied themselves with the food in front of them. Harry turned to look at Fleur who was looking uncomfortable while her friends looked angry.

"I'm sorry, they just…" Harry said quietly to her and she smiled warmly at him and squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"Non, eet iz not zat uncommon"

"Glad to see there are some strong minded men in this school though" Caroline said grinning at Harry. Soon Harry got to know every single one of the Beauxbatons students who obviously knew who he was. From their behavior and especially the girls, Aurélie, Caroline and Amy, he could tell that they were very protective of Fleur. Although each and every one of them was 17 and older they were a lot of fun to talk to. They completely disregarded the rest of the people in the Gryffindor table; they didn't seem to take it too kindly to the way how everyone kept staring at them from time to time which even Harry could admit, was angering him. Soon the food was cleared from the plates leaving them gleaming clearly. Harry turned to look at the Durmstrang students and burst out laughing when he saw at that exact moment Krum completely ignore Malfoy who had asked him something and turn to talk with one of the Durmstrang students leaving Malfoy looking embarassed. The Durmstrang students looked bored and all around the room everyone were looking expectantly at the teacher's table. Harry noticed an elderly wizard who was seated next to the Durmstrang headmaster who had greying hair and was dressed in a muggle suit. Dumbledore got up to his feet.

"Seeing as we are now well fed, let us go on to the matters at hand, first let me introduce the headmistress of Beauxbatons, Olympe Maxime and the headmaster of Durmstrang, Igor Karkaroff" He said gesturing at the two people sitting next to him. Everyone applauded politely. "Next, let me introduce Mr. Barty Crouch, who is the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, the man who made this tournament possible" More applause while he stood up and bowed. "Now, Mr. Filch, if you will" He called to the back where Filch was lurking around. He came up to the front with a large casket under his arm and set it on a pedestal in front of the teacher's table. Dumbledore walked towards it and waved his wand and it melted away to reveal a rather large, golden goblet.

"Now, let me introduce everyone to the judge that will be selecting who is going to compete. At precisely 7pm on the evening of October 30th, the goblet will ignite and from then on anyone that wishes to compete need only write their names and their school on a piece of parchment and drop it into the flames. Keep note however that only those that are 17 and above may submit their names, if anyone younger tries, you will be faced with some rather unique consequences" He said with his eyes twinkling in the direction of the Weasley twins who looked visibly offended. "Might I also stress on the fact that whosoever wishes to submit their name, be sure that you will be willing to compete if you are chosen, by submitting your name you are effectively signing a magical contract which means you cannot back out if you are chosen. The champion will be chosen on the Halloween feast on the 31st so you have time till then to submit your name. On an additional note everyone is dismissed from classes on the 31st" He finished smiling as some of the students cheered. "Alright then, off to bed then!" Karkaroff and Maxime got up, making their way towards their respective students while the Hogwarts students filed out of the Hall towards their dormitories.

"Goodnight Fleur" Harry said, standing up to follow after Ron and Hermione who were waiting for him at the entrance when he saw Maxime coming towards their table.

"Non, wait, Madame Maxime wanted to speak wiz you" Fleur said holding him back. Harry looked at her in alarm eliciting laughter from the rest of the students but she smiled reassuringly at him and he looked apologetically back at Ron and Hermione who shrugged and left with the others who were shooting curious looks over at them. He waited nervously while Maxime walked up to them. Even the Durmstrang students and Karkaroff were glancing over at them curiously and when his eyes met Harry's his eyes widened and performed the familiar shift to his scar. Harry looked up at the staff table where only Dumbledore and McGonagall were remaining talking with each other but he had the funny feeling that they were watching him. Hagrid was also there although he was still eating having arrived towards the end of the feast.

"Monsieur 'Arry Potter, a pleasure to meet you" She said gently. Harry smiled awkwardly at her wondering what on Earth was going on.

"It's an honor to meet you Madame Maxime" He said bowing respectfully at her. She looked surprised but her smile grew wider.

"I wanted to zank you personally for protecting one of my students" She said seriously. Some of her students looked confused but from the way Amy, Aurélie and Caroline smiled at him from behind her he knew they knew what she was talking about. Feeling the color rising in his cheeks he smiled uncertainly at her.

"I..It was nothing" He said quietly.

"Nevertheless, you 'ave my gratitude, Bonne nuit Monsieur Potter" She said smiling at him. Turning to her students she said something in French and left with the others who waved their goodbyes at Harry.

"'Arry? Can you come wiz me for a second?" Fleur asked shyly. Harry was surprised but he nodded and after turning to wave goodbye at Hagrid up at the staff table he followed her outside where a little further away the rest of the students were making their way back to the carriage which was situated a few feet away from Hagrid's hut. Harry caught sight of the Durmstrang students a little further away making their way back to the ship. It seemed they were going to be spending the night in it.

"Fleur? Where are all of you going to sleep?" Harry asked curiously watching all of the students climb into the carriage.

"Our rooms are in ze carriages, eet is a lot more bigger on ze inside" She said grinning at him. Harry nodded, of course it was bigger than that, he had already forgotten their tents that they used during the World Cup. Harry caught sight of a gleaming blue light on Fleur's chest and he gasped in surprise.

"You wore it!" Harry blurted happily without thinking. He had mostly forgotten about it after seeing her. She laughed and slowly pulled it out so that it was exposed. He frowned, it wasn't gleaming that brightly when he had bought it.

"Oui, I nevar got to properly thank you for it did I?" She asked.

"I'm just glad you wore it" Harry said sincerely. He froze when she leaned closer to him and pressed her lips on his cheek. He felt his heart beat faster and all thought was wiped from his mind. After a few seconds she drew back and Harry felt his knees weaken when he saw that she was rather red on her face.

"Zank you 'Arry" She said quietly. "And Bonne nuit" Harry who was still shocked forced his mind back to reality.

"'Night Fleur" He said and she smiled at him before walking away. His cheek was still tingling and he watched her walk away. He felt a wave of happiness wash over him and slowly made his way back to the castle.

* * *

**AN: Yay! Now everyone is back together. **

**On an additional note though…Keep note that this is just the beginning, I don't plan to keep any loose ends hanging around and I'm surely not going phase out any of the characters. Hopefully that can put some of your minds to rest.**

**Please review and let me know what you guys think, I don't care even if it's just a few words. Any form of feedback is appreciated :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**bAs always, a big thank you to everyone who reviewed :) **

**Enjoy! (**_**French is in italics as well as spells and some thoughts…again, shouldn't be too confusing ^^)**_

**CHAPTER 5**

_"So, how did it happen?" _Caroline asked eagerly, probably for the 14th time. Fleur sighed exasperatedly, it was 8 in the morning and her friends had come unceremoniously into her room and woken her up half an hour ago and had been interrogating her about Harry Potter.

"_I already told you, we didn't do anything. I only wanted to thank him for my present and I did" _She said leaning back against her pillow.

"_He looked really happy when he saw you" _Amy said with a smirk. Fleur felt a smile spread across her own face. When they arrived she had seen Harry standing near the front of the crowd and she had easily recognized him. He had a disappointed look on his face when they all started going back to the castle. When she finally called out to him, his shocked expression mixed with happiness made her heart leap and before she knew what she was doing, had thrown herself into his arms in front of everyone.

"_There you go again, that same smile you always get" _Aurélie said grinning making Fleur blush when she realized what she said was true.

"_He is a cute one though, I wish I had put a claim over him the first time I saw him"_ Caroline said sighing softly. Catching sight of Fleur she grinned and added, _"Relax, I won't do anything. I don't think any of us will take your Harry Potter away from you" _Everyone burst out laughing at the expression on Fleur's face.

"_He's not mine!" _She exclaimed, but she couldn't stop the feeling of relief that spread through her at Caroline's words. Truthfully, she had felt rather put out when she found out that Caroline had seen him at the World Cup too.

"_Oh come on, it's obvious to all of us how much you like him. We've never seen you act this way over a boy from all our years together" _Amy said while the others nodded.

"_But…" _Aurélie cut her off.

"_And from what I've seen, he is also rather taken with you. He kept looking at you throughout the feast sometimes but it wasn't like the way the others look at you. It was…different. I don't think he noticed us watching him even" _She said thoughtfully.

"_But…he can't…he is younger than me…" _Fleur trailed off weakly.

"_3 years, and you turned 17 only recently." _Amy said softly.

"_Fleur, do you like him?" _Caroline asked bluntly. Fleur's mind was working furiously, she couldn't answer it directly but she knew that if she was honest, she had only one answer to give. She just couldn't believe how fast she had grown fond of Harry; meeting him last night had only increased her feelings for him.

Initially she had kept telling herself that he was 3 years younger than her. That had been her excuse whenever her friends teased her about him. She used it to tell herself that she couldn't possibly be thinking about Harry in that way and that he was only a good friend. But after hearing it said aloud, it just ceased to matter. She enjoyed being with him, he made her feel safe, something that until she met him, thought that only her father could do. He was quiet and reserved despite being famous. He was similar to her in a lot of ways; both of them were seen not for what they really were, something that they both hated. He was a lot better looking than most men she had seen and the fact that is unaffected by her Veela allure was an added bonus. She couldn't help but admit that the idea of taking Harry for herself was appealing.

"_Well Fleur?" _She gave a start and looked up, the others were watching her closely and she could see the smirks on all of them. Taking a deep breath she nodded.

"_I…I do like him. But it's a little scary about how fast I came to like him." _She said quietly unable to stop the blush creeping up her face making the others grin triumphantly.

"_Just see how it turns out" _Aurélie said, then smiled. _"I don't think that he has eyes for anyone else though, it was pretty clear from the way he was after he saw you. It makes even me jealous." _Fleur threw her pillow at her and laughed. Something told her what she said was true and it pleased her to no end. Caroline got up and yawned.

"_It's almost nine, I'm hungry." _She said eyeing the others with a pleading look.

"_Alright, I'll get changed" _Fleur said getting up herself. She strode towards her closet while the others walked outside. She stopped when she caught sight of her reflection on the mirror. Her cheeks were still red and she noticed that the blue stone on her necklace which was glowing brighter and felt warm to touch. She looked fondly at it before slipping on her school uniform. She spent a lot more time than usual paying attention to how she looked before going outside to join her friends.

"_Did you see the man that was taking care of the horses?" _Caroline asked when Fleur approached them and they started slowly walking back to the castle.

"_Yes?" _Aurélie asked lifting an eyebrow.

"_Do you think he's like our Headmistress?" _She asked. Fleur frowned, she hadn't really thought about that. The others too were looking thoughtful.

"_Maybe…" _Aurélie said. They walked on and ignored the stares they were attracting from some of the students that were outside. Fleur shivered slightly, the boys in Hogwarts seemed to have little to almost no control over themselves. Their glazed expressions were unpleasant. Some of the girls glared at them but they ignored them and continued on their way to the Great Hall.

"_Just like first year in Beauxbatons"_ Aurélie said with an annoyed expression eyeing a rather large boy who was drooling with his eyes on her. They entered the Great Hall and made their way to the Gryffindor table. Fleur frowned when she saw Harry there, reading a book by himself sitting a little away from the others. None of the other Beauxbatons students were there yet and there were only a few Hogwarts students around them.

"Bonjour 'Arry" Fleur said seating herself next to him while the others took their seat opposite them.

Harry gave a start and looked around at them. Fleur frowned again when she saw Harry's face. There were bags under his eyes and his eyes had a cold, almost dead look on them. His eyes suddenly sparked brighter and he grinned at them.

"'Morning" She didn't fail to notice that how weak his voice sounded.

"You ok?" She asked while the others looked at him concernedly. He nodded.

"Yeah, just tired I guess"

"Where are the others?" Caroline asked looking around; the tables weren't as crowded as the night before with only a few students around.

"Oh…they are in class. I um...my professor told me to rest up since it was my only class for today" Harry said rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"You 'ave classes today?" Aurélie asked incredulously.

"Only because we missed our last two yesterday…but I only had one scheduled for that day so I'm not really missing much."

"You're not eating 'Arry?" Fleur asked while they served themselves. Harry shook his head.

"Nah I already ate" He said. Soon they were joined by some of the other Beauxbatons students who joined them. Most of them had taken a liking to him and she felt happy watching him talk with them. She was surprised to find that he was in the Quidditch team too, much to Caroline and Aurélie's delight who loved it. They made him promise he would let them ride his Firebolt later in the day. No one failed to notice though that Harry was getting increasingly paler, Fleur and the others kept looking worriedly at him from time to time. Soon the food was wiped clean of their plates and little by little the hall was emptying of people. Most of the Beauxbatons students were eager to explore the castle and they left with the leaving the 5 of them together.

"Mr. Potter! Didn't I ask you to go to the Hospital Wing? I thought Mr. Weasley took you there" A mild voice sounded behind them and they turned to see a rather stern looking witch looking at them. Harry groaned softly.

"I'm sorry Professor, I forgot. I told Ron I would go on ahead and told him to go back." Harry said. He got up and swayed visibly and fell backwards. Fleur was immediately on the floor beside him and helped him up while the others looked on worriedly, half risen from their seats. The stern looking witch sighed and pressed her hand against his forehead.

"You will get a fever like this; I'm going to have a few words with Mr. Weasley. How he could come back without seeing to it that you were safely in the Hospital wing after seeing you pass out in my classroom is beyond me" She said softly. "May I ask if you could take Mr. Potter to the Hospital Wing? It's on the 1st floor on the corridor to the right" She asked eyeing them.

"Oui Madame" Fleur said.

"I can go by myself Professor…" Harry started.

"No more out of you Mr. Potter, or else I'm going to have to take points off Gryffindor. I will be asking Madam Promfey personally if you went to her or not." She said and strode out of the hall. Harry looked embarrassedly at them.

"I can really go by myself, I just lost balance for a bit" He said and quailed under the combined gazes of the girls.

"We're going now 'Arry and you're going to come quietly" Fleur growled sliding her arm around his waist and pulling him closer to her.

"We'll come too, I wanted to see around the castle anyway" Aurélie said getting to her feet while the other two followed suit. Together they walked outside to the now deserted Entrance Hall.

"What are those hourglasses 'Arry?" Amy asked while Caroline and Fleur helped him climb the stairs.

"Oh, those show the number of house points for each of our houses."

"So four houses, and you are in Gryffindor?"

"Yes, the other three are Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. At the end of the year the house with the most amount of points wins the house cup" Harry explained. "Wait a moment" Harry said putting his hand against the wall and panting.

"What 'appened to you 'Arry? You were fine yesterday" Fleur asked worriedly holding his hand tightly.

"I don't know, I think I'm just tired that's all" He said giving her a small smile. They started moving again and when they finally reached the Hospital Wing an elderly woman came hurrying to them.

"Put him on that bed over there" She said pointing at the bed nearest to them. Once he was on the bed she came over holding a tray with different potions in them.

"Honestly Harry, do you make it a necessity to end up here every year?" She asked making him grin sheepishly at her. "Let's see what's wrong with you now." She whipped out her wand and started murmuring quietly tracing her wand around his body. She suddenly snapped her eyes open and glared at him. "Do you have a death wish Mr. Potter? Sleep deprivation, exhaustion and the most serious of all, you have almost completely drained your core of its magic. What in the world were you trying to do? If you had kept going at this pace you would have been crippled or worse, dead by the next week." Fleur and the others stared in shock at Harry who was now looking away not meeting any of their eyes.

"Take these potions starting from now on every day before breakfast for a week. You are prohibited from practicing magic except for the simplest spells until the week is out. I will be sending notes to your teachers. Is that clear Harry?" He nodded.

"Do you have trouble sleeping? If so I can give you a potion for dreamless sleep" Harry muttered something incomprehensible while drinking each of the potions. The matron waited patiently for him to finish and asked, "What did you say?" He looked uncomfortable under the gazes of everyone and didn't say anything for a moment.

"I already tried that…it doesn't work." He said quietly. Her eyes widened and shook her head.

"That's strange, I will see what I can do. In the meantime it is important that you use this week to recover. If you over exert yourself again and are back in this room again tomorrow I will have no choice but to send you to St. Mungo's."

"I understand" He said.

"In the meantime, it is up to your friends to see that you don't step out of line. But I think you have that part all covered right?" She said, her eyes twinkling mischievously at Harry. She then glanced at Fleur who realized that she hadn't let go of Harry's hand for the whole time. Both of them blushed furiously eliciting giggles from the others.

"Poppy!" Harry whined making the matron laugh. Her grin grew wider when Fleur looked determinedly back at her.

"So why don't you introduce them Harry?" She asked. Once everyone had given their names Poppy frowned thoughtfully.

"Is the nurse in your school still Madam Leona?" She asked.

"Oui, she 'az been ever since our first year" Aurélie said.

"Ah, I've been meaning to send her an owl for a while now, never knew where she was." Catching the confused looks on them she added, "We were trained under the same healer back then. I took the post available in Hogwarts, I had no idea where she was until I heard from a friend that she was the nurse in Beauxbatons."

"Can I go now?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Oh! Well, if it were up to me I would keep you here until the whole week was out…I'm not finished yet!" She said when Harry made signs of interrupting her. "I will let you go now if you come back here for a checkup every day in the evening, whenever you have time. Well?"

"Alright" Harry grumbled slowly getting up.

"How are you feeling?" Fleur asked.

"Alright, thanks" Harry said giving her a small grin. "Thanks a lot Poppy"

"No problem Harry, just make sure you do as I said" She said before walking back in the direction of her office.

"We can get a tour of ze castle now?" Aurélie asked. Harry laughed and straightened up.

"We have a lot of time left, why not?" They set off and Harry took them straight up to the 7th floor and proceeded back down.

"This place is huge!" Caroline exclaimed as the came to the 5th floor. Harry looked at her frowning.

"Isn't yours as big as this?"

"No! Well, it is big but it's nothing compared to this place" She said.

"Oh? Do you have houses like ours with different common rooms?" He asked, interested about their school.

"No, we don't aren't sorted into different 'ouses. We 'ave two quarters, one for the boys and one for the girls." Amy answered. They came onto the 4th floor where some other students were moving up. Fleur looked closely when she saw a red haired boy who she recognized as the one who had been staring at her during the feast last night.

When he caught sight of them his eyes narrowed and he muttered something to the group of boys behind him and glared at Harry. Harry on the other hand ignored them and walked straight past them and Fleur felt uncomfortable feeling the gazes on her from the people around them. They noticed that Harry had quickened his pace and they hurried to catch up to him.

"Merde" Aurélie muttered when they reached Harry, he looked at her curiously and saw that she was glaring at the people around her. She muttered something in French which caused the girls to giggle leaving Harry looking at them curiously.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, she just said 'ow ze Englishmen 'ave almost no self-control." Fleur said smiling slightly.

"It's just back in Beauxbatons I was never stared at as much as Fleur but 'ere it's like I'm on display" She said shuddering when they passed a group of 6th years who stared blankly at them.

"I don't know how much longer I can go without cursing one of them" Caroline said glaring at a boy who Harry recognized as Malfoy who was looking at her with an expression of longing while the rest of the Slytherins that were behind him were glaring at Harry. Harry suddenly burst out laughing which seemed to bring Malfoy to his senses and quickly walked away taking his cronies with him.

"By all means, if you're going to do something to Malfoy, I want in." Harry said grinning at her who smirked evilly back.

"So his name's Malfoy?" She purred sending shivers down his spine and almost felt sorry for him.

"Yeah, but anyway…I'm sorry for the way they are treating you" Harry said nervously turning around and facing all of them. Fleur smiled at him as did the others and suddenly Caroline slipped her arm under Harry's and pressed drew dangerously close to him and placed her mouth next to his ear.

"It's nothing we aren't used to Harry, it took a while for this to stop in Beauxbatons. But I wonder…should we be disappointed that none of us can affect you in that way?" She whispered audibly. Harry went extremely red and looked at a loss for words, the expression on his face was so comical that the others couldn't help but laugh, even Fleur although she was slightly disgruntled by what Caroline did.

Caroline drew back and sighed softly, "A pity…" She said before suddenly pulling him towards the grounds. They spent the rest of the time in the grounds, sitting by the lake. In the spot where Harry usually practiced his magic in the middle of the night although he didn't mention it to them. It was well secluded and no one came their way. They watched the Giant Squid lazily drift across them next to the Durmstrang ship on the opposite side of the lake, discussing about the Triwizard tournament and speculating about the events that were coming up. It was close to one when they decided to head back inside for lunch and everyone got to their feet except Harry.

"'Arry, you're not coming?" Fleur asked. Harry glanced at her and the others who were watching him curiously.

"I don't feel like it, and besides…I'm not that hungry" He said, not meeting any of their eyes. Fleur frowned while the others looked confused. Then she murmured something to the others and sat back down next to him while he looked on in surprise.

"I'll stay, I'm not really hungry either." She said. She was curious about why Harry was acting like this and truthfully, she wasn't hungry either.

"But…" Harry began and fell silent under her glare.

"We'll bring something when we come back." Caroline said. Before they walked away Harry could have sworn he saw them grinning.

Harry was acutely aware that they were alone and suddenly he felt extremely nervous. Chancing a glance at Fleur who was watching the lake silently he couldn't help the blush that was slowly creeping up on his face. This was the first time that he got to see her properly and every little detail he could pick up only filled him with an ache in his chest and a desire to get closer to her.

"Is zere something on my face 'Arry?" She suddenly asked and turned smiling softly at him.

"umm, I…no I just" Harry couldn't get any words out and he found himself unable to look at directly at her. "Sorry" He murmured and looked away. He suddenly felt a small hand gently grip his and looked down surprised. Fleur laughed which made Harry smile and a sense of deep contentment took over him.

"I am glad zat you aren't as immune as you make out to be" She said playfully. "You wouldn't want to give ze impression zat you are not interested in girls do you?" Harry grinned.

"Well, I apologize if I gave you that impression." He said. A comfortable silence settled over them and they watched the ripples continuously emerge along different places in the lake. The place where they were was hidden from view unless anyone purposefully came around the bank.

"You seem to be close with ze nurse" She remarked aloud and Harry suddenly laughed and straightened up against the tree they were leaning against.

"I should be, after all the time I spent in there…it's not like I like getting myself hurt!" He said indignantly catching sight of Fleur's disapproving expression. "Things just always seem to happen to me." Fleur smirked at him and he returned the grin and they looked towards the lake for a few moments.

"What 'appened to you in ze morning 'Arry? What in ze world were you trying to do when you almost drained your core?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"Just a little extra work, I guess I got carried away." She waited for him to elaborate but he didn't seem to want to and she let it go. She noticed that a shadow crossed over his face and his eyes seemed to lose its brightness, going back to the cold, dead look he had on his face in the morning. After a few moments she moved closer to him making him turn to her. She could see, deep in his eyes that he was hiding something. She could see the hurt in his eyes and she held his gaze before he looked away.

"Is zere anything wrong 'Arry?" She asked squeezing his hand a little. He didn't speak for a long time and she was going to ask him again when he suddenly spoke.

"It's just…I don' understand what's going on anymore" He muttered. She waited patiently without breaking the silence. When he spoke again his voice was low, "When I try my hardest to do something because it is necessary, others see it another way. I…I made friends with the wrong people."

"Are you talking about ze red haired boy?" She asked, remembering their exchange back in the castle. He looked at her surprised and then after a while nodded.

"My best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger" He laughed humorlessly. "They aren't particularly fond of how I do my things now."

"What do you mean?" She asked gently. He stared at her for a moment and sighed.

"I don't know how to explain it. It's just…" He seemed to be struggling to find the proper words, "they think I have the perfect life. Famous for something I can't even remember, I would gladly give up everything I have if I could get what I lost back" He said quietly. "They were the only two I thought that understood me. It's not like I don't have any other friends but after everything we had been through together, to see them act like that. I don't know who I can ever…" He suddenly gasped as if realizing what he was saying and broke off.

"Sorry, I didn't mean for you to hear all that." He said looking down embarrassedly. _Why did I go and say all that, to her especially. _

Fleur was shocked; she couldn't believe that he could have been feeling like this. She could feel a burning rage at the two people that Harry had told her about. She knew exactly what he felt like; his friends are to him just like how Amy, Caroline and Aurélie are to her. They were the only people she trusted that knew saw her for what she was and she couldn't bear to lose them. Even though she had more friends they couldn't possibly be compared to any of them.

She felt a stab of pain in her heart when she looked at Harry who was still gazing at the ground, gently she brought her other hand to his chin and lifted his face, making him look at her. His eyes had the same cold look in them and she could see the loneliness and the pain reflected in them.

"'Arry, you won't get 'urt again. Zey 'aven't seen or understood you in ze way you thought 'Arry. Don't let zem make you into a person you are not." Harry looked like he was straining to say something but she put her finger on his lips silencing him. "You may zink zat you 'ad only zem but zere are more people around you zat care about you." She paused watching Harry, she could see the struggle going on in his eyes and again wondered what happened between him and his friends. He had been fine just the day before.

"In ze short time I 'ave known you, you 'ave become a person who I care a lot about" His eyes widened and she felt herself getting nervous, she didn't mean to say it but he looked so vulnerable that she couldn't stop herself. Silently she berated herself for letting it slip and hoped he wouldn't look too much into it. He was silent for a long time before he finally spoke in little more than a whisper.

"Really?" Fleur smiled widely at him, she was relieved and happy that he hadn't backed away from her because of her slip up. She drew closer to him and kissed him lightly on his cheek. When she drew away his features had transformed into one of happiness and he had a bright smile on his face, his eyes gleaming bright green.

A giggle suddenly broke the silence that had settled over them and they turned to see the other three watching a few feet away. Harry could practically feel the heat coming off Fleur and from the way his cheeks were warming up, he knew he wasn't that far behind her either.

"We leave you two for a few 'ours and zis 'appens. I feel like we should 'ave come later" Amy said trying hard not to laugh at their mortified expressions.

"_It's not what it looks like!" _Fleur exclaimed, not noticing she was speaking in French which made the others burst out laughing.

"_What is it then? Come on Fleur we need details." _Aurélie said smirking back at her.

"_Even I'm impressed at how fast you move." _Caroline said and immediately ducked the tickling charm that Fleur sent at her. _"Calm down… your boyfriend is looking so helpless, it's adorable."_

Fleur sighed exasperatedly and pulled Harry to his feet, ignoring his bewildered look. "Enough moping around 'Arry, now come with us."

"Where we going?"

"Just come" She said pulling him with her while the rest of them followed. They came up to the Beauxbatons carriage which was a few feet away from Hagrid's hut and they pushed him inside when he backed away. They took him down the corridor and into their small dining room where there were two other Beauxbatons students who were having a late lunch. As soon as they took their seats, plates appeared in front of them, laden with food.

"You guys get your food here?" Harry asked surprised.

"Yes, we can eat 'ere if we want to." Aurélie said grinning at him.

"Many of us prefer eating 'ere, it iz small and more private. But it iz pleasant having you 'ere with us Meester 'Arry Potter." One of the students, a brown haired boy said extending his hand. Harry recognized him as one of the boys he had talked with the in the morning. "I 'aven't introduced myself yet 'ave I? My name iz Basile Cerf"

Harry grinned and shook his hand. After the other boy introduced himself as Jean they started to eat.

"Didn't you eat?" Fleur asked eyeing the others as they too served themselves.

"We were going to but Madame Maxime called us aside for something, after that we just thought we'd come and get you two before going" Caroline said, shrugging slightly.

"'Arry, I 'ave something to ask you" Basile asked. Harry looked at him curiously. "When we were going around ze castle we came to ze second floor and zere was a bathroom zat was sealed off and zere were some unpleasant things written on ze wall. I asked about it from one of ze portraits and 'e said zat a couple of years ago ze Chamber of Secrets was opened and zat a monster attacked students in your school."

"I saw zat too! I 'ad been meaning to ask you about zat 'Arry." Aurélie said. Now that he mentioned it, Fleur could remember seeing something written in red letters on a wall but it had been too far away from them and she hadn't thought much about it. It was on that floor that they had come across Ron Weasley and the other students too and Harry hadn't stayed too long which didn't let them get a good look at it.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, it was back in my second year. 3 students were petrified and 1 nearly died." The girls gasped and Basile and the other boy got an odd gleam in their eyes.

"Ze portrait also told me zat it was you zat killed ze monster inside it and made ze school safe again. Is zat true?" Harry blushed, his face reddening from the attention. Fleur and the others were looking at him in amazement while the Basile and Jean were waiting eagerly to hear his response. Fleur could see that he was getting uncomfortable with the questions.

"Yeah, but…"

"Zat's amazing!" Amy exclaimed.

"What was ze monster?" Jean asked eagerly. Harry was getting cornered as each second was passing.

"A Basilisk but…" He never got to complete his sentence when the others gasped in astonishment and fired questions rapidly at him.

"No! I just got lucky! If it weren't for Fawkes and the sorting hat I wouldn't even be here right now." Harry said, ignoring the questions.

"But a Basilisk 'Arry! Eet is one of ze most deadliest creatures in our world." Fleur said gazing at him.

"How did you do it?" Caroline asked and the rest of them fell silent. It was clear that they wanted to hear it and Harry sighed dejectedly. He told them all about how they had gone into the Chamber of Secrets when his friend's sister had been taken into it in an attempt to save her. He told them everything; Fawke's timely arrival, how he got the sword of Gryffindor and how he used it to kill the Basilisk. He left out the part with Riddle's diary and his memory though. By the end of it everyone were looking at him with expressions of awe causing him to squirm uncomfortably.

"Guess you aren't famous just because of your name then?" Caroline asked grinning at him. Harry groaned loudly drawing laughs from everyone and they spent most of the next hour just talking with each other. Basile and Jean Harry quickly realized, were like the French counterparts of Fred and George. He grinned inwardly wondering what would happen if the four of them got together and made a mental note to introduce them to each other. It was sure to cause havoc. He glanced at his watch after a while and gasped. It was a quarter to 6 and he had to go back to Poppy for his check up and then onto the Room of Requirement to meet with Sirius and Lupin. He wouldn't be able to duel with Sirius but he still wanted to see them.

"Umm, I've got to go…it's getting late." Harry said, getting to his feet.

"We'll see you tomorrow 'Arry!" Basile said while Jean nodded in agreement. Harry found he actually enjoyed their company, in addition to the fact that they were so much like the twins, they were fun to be around. The girls also called their goodbyes to him and before he left he turned nervously to Fleur.

"Fleur? Can I speak to you for a moment?" She looked at him curiously before following him out of the room.

Harry took a deep breath and forced himself to look at her. Immediately his heart skipped a few beats when their eyes met. _Why does she affect me like this? _

"Thank you for everything you did for me." Fleur took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

"You don't 'ave to zank me for anyzing 'Arry." Fleur said smiling at him. She could see that his eyes were losing the bright gleam he had just a few hours ago. She felt her old anger at the people who he told her about resurface. "We will see each uzzer tomorrow?"

He nodded and returned her smile. "Goodnight Fleur"

"Bonne nuit 'Arry" She said and watched him disappear from view before she turned back and headed back to the dining rom.

"_I'm going back to my room, I need to write a letter to Gabrielle and…" _She began.

"_No, no. You're coming with us. You aren't getting away that easily." _Amy said. Aurélie and Caroline stood up grinning at her and after bidding Basile and Jean who were looking confusedly at them goodnight, they marched Fleur to her room.

* * *

Harry walked happily back up to the castle. The day had actually been one of the best days of his life. Spending time with Fleur and the others, especially Fleur, was something he was looking forward to. He couldn't wait until he saw her again tomorrow.

He stopped by the Hospital Wing before heading to the common room where unfortunately for him, he ran into Professor McGonagall who had dropped in to see Poppy.

"Mr. Potter, if you ever endanger yourself like that again, I am going to give you detentions for the rest of the year." She said sternly.

"Yes Professor" Harry said meekly. After Poppy had checked on him she let him go. But only after he had promised her that he would be back first thing in the morning for his potions. Harry started climbing up towards the Gryffindor tower and sighed before giving the password. Feeling the bitter memories from last night re-surfacing in him.

* * *

(Flashback)

After watching Fleur go Harry happily made his way back to in to the caste and climbed up to the Gryffindor Tower. He suddenly felt a looseness on his hair and felt his head. The band that Professor McGonagall had conjured for him had disappeared. He wondered if he could learn the spell. It wasn't hard to lose the bands he had during the day and it would be great if he could just conjure one whenever he needed it. Wondering if Hermione knew the spell he climbed in through the portrait hole and spotting Ron and Hermione sitting at a table next to the window he made his way over to them.

Although it was late in the night more people were up than usual. No doubt due to the excitement of having the foreign students over, and from the excited babble in the room, due to the appearance of Bulgaria's star seeker. Before he could reach them however, he found his way blocked by Dean and Seamus.

"The man! Harry how did you manage to bag that one?" Seamus asked. Harry stared back at him.

"What?"

"That girl! The one with the silver hair! She's a Veela isn't she?" Harry realized he was talking about Fleur and blushed slightly.

"She's just a friend." He muttered, acutely aware that they were the center of attention in the common room. Seamus wasn't even bothering to keep his voice down.

"Yeah right." Dean said rolling his eyes. "You're one hell of a lucky bastard." Harry didn't answer but he made to go around them when he bumped into Ginny.

"Sorry" He said softly and made to head towards Ron and Hermione who were watching from there place when he felt a hand close around his wrist. Looking around he saw that it was Ginny who was holding his hand and he looked curiously at her.

"You bought that necklace for her didn't you?" She asked quietly. Only Dean and Seamus heard it while the rest of the people looked on intrigued. She suddenly let go and left hurriedly in the direction of the girl's dormitory leaving Harry standing, utterly bewildered. He caught sight of the twins who looked confusedly back at him shaking their heads in negative to his questioning look.

"You happy now?" Harry whirled around to see Ron standing a few feet away from him.

"Ron…" Hermione said, her voice broke the silence that settled in the room. Her tone was almost pleading.

"What's going on?" Harry asked.

"You think you're so good don't you? Thinking that it makes you better just because you bagged a Veela whore?" The room went deathly quiet; Harry heard muffled gasps around the room. He looked at Ron directly, unable to keep the growing anger he was feeling down.

"What did you say?" He asked quietly.

"I'm sick of you Harry, you constantly keep finding ways to make yourself look better in comparison with others don't you? What are we? People that you keep around just so you can feel good about yourself?" Ron asked.

"Watch what you're saying little brother." Fred suddenly said loudly. Ron just glared at him.

"Even from my own family. Are you trying to make me look bad in front of everyone just so they will accept you over me? My own mother cares about you more than me. What the hell do are you trying to do?"

Harry couldn't think of anything to say, he was having enough trouble trying to make sense of what he was hearing. But Ron wasn't stopping his rant at all.

"Even with Ginny, you know that she liked you and you just act like you don't even know her! My sister not good enough for the likes of the great Harry Potter is it? And what's with you outdoing everyone and acting like a teacher's pet? Is the attention you get not enough already? Making friends with Slytherins too! What are we? Not good enough for you? And then out of the blue you pick up some Veela whor…"

"Ron what…" Hermione began interrupting him when Ron rounded on her.

"DON'T TRY TO DENY IT! YOU SAID SO YOURSELF TO GINNY AND YOU SAID THAT HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE LOOK BAD IN CLASS" He shouted at her. Hermione looked stricken and she got up and made to make her over to Harry who had his head down, his hair completely hiding his face from view.

"Harry, we never…" She sounded close to tears when Harry started laughing. His shoulders were shaking and everyone looked on in astonishment as he couldn't seem to stop laughing. It unnerved everyone. His laughter was subdued and had no trace of happiness or joy in it. Everyone were frozen in their places watching him until he finally looked back up and fixed his stare on Hermione who flinched.

His eyes were cold; there was no trace of the usual brightness in them. There was a small smile playing on his lips while he stared at her.

"Why are you laughing Potter?" Ron growled suddenly. Harry turned to look at him and everyone felt a burst of energy in the room and the fire that was blazing at the corner of the room hissed angrily and emitted sparks, increasing its flame for a few seconds before returning to normal. The temperature of the room dropped noticeably and Ron took a step backwards staring at Harry.

"Why am I laughing?" Harry asked, his voice was quiet but it sent a chill to everyone's bones when they heard it. "I find it funny because after all these years, I never saw this coming. Especially from you two."

"Harry, please…" Hermione whispered, her eyes filled with tears.

"What Hermione?" He asked, turning to her. She fell silent and he looked at her for a few seconds before staring up at the ceiling. "This is pathetic. I can't believe what I just heard at all." He looked back at Ron and fixed his stare on him.

"I thought you two knew what was going on. Guess I was wrong."

"Harry…" Hermione spoke again but he growled, silencing her again.

"Hermione…There is nothing that I have to say to you." Spotting his bag lying on a table a few feet away from him he walked over to it and picked it up. He walked back to the entrance. One of the prefects tried to stop him but the look he gave her made her shrink away from him. Stopping before climbing out he looked back at Ron who was standing as still as a statue.

"Weasley, if you ever call Fleur a whore again, there will be nothing that can stop me from cursing your mouth off your face. And Granger, don't make me regret saving your life last year." Harry pushed past the entrance and climbed out of the portrait hole.

"Where do you think you're going at this time?" The Fat lady demanded but Harry ignored her and walked around the corner, hiding himself from her gaze.

He pulled out his invisibility cloak and after putting it on he ran. With every step he took his mind was beginning to accept that what just happened had been real. Not even bothering about the noise he was making he ripped open the tapestry in the 3rd floor corridor that led to the school grounds. A weight was growing on his chest that was straining to break free of him. He ran straight to the place beside the lake where he often came to practice magic and pulled out his wand. The strain was getting too much for him and he pointed his wand at the sky and yelled the first spell that sprang to his mind.

"_Contego Talea!" _The recoil sent him blasting backwards a few feet to the ground. A large, bright blue ball of energy shot out from the end of his wand which sped into the skies leaving a crackling trail behind it. Immediately Harry felt the weight lessen but he felt his knees buckle from under him and before he knew it, he blacked out.

* * *

Sighing he gave the password and climbed through. The chatter in the room died down when he emerged and Harry took no notice of everyone and walked determinedly towards the dormitory intending to get his books and take them with him so that he won't have to come back after meeting Sirius and Lupin to get them.

"Hey Harry, can we speak to you for a moment?" Fred asked, walking up to him with George right behind him. After regarding them for a moment he shrugged and followed them to their table. Fred turned around and Harry noticed that for the first time since he had known them, they neither of them had their usual grins on their faces.

"Listen, we want to apologize for what Ron said, we never thought anyway like that of you and we sent a letter to mom telling her about what he did." He said while George nodded in agreement. Harry regarded them silently for a moment before managing a small smile at them.

"There's nothing to apologize for." He said quietly. It was true; they had never been anything but decent with him. When they continued to look uncertain he decided to break the tension. "C'mon, where are the usual two I knew?" He asked and they broke into their usual grins.

"Fred and George, reporting for duty sir!" They said saluting smartly at him making Harry and the others that caught the exchange laugh.

"By the way, there are a couple of people I want you two to meet." Harry said remembering Basile and Jean.

"Will do Harry." George said. Katie, Angelina and Alicia climbed through the portrait hole behind them and Katie, spotting Harry made her way to him and the twins with the other two close behind them.

"Hey Harry, I overheard Professor McGonagall saying something about you being in the Hospital Wing. You ok?" Katie asked, looking at him in concern.

"It's alright. No, really I'm alright." He said when they continued to look at him worriedly.

"If you say so, I had never seen her so angry before. I walked in on her shouting at Ron over there, something about him not taking you to the hospital even after you fainted."

"He what?" Fred asked, his grin vanishing to be replaced with a scowl and glaring over at Ron who was at the opposite side of the room, ignoring them.

"If there's anything wrong you'll let us know won't you?" Alicia asked. Harry looked gratefully at them and nodded.

"I will, anyway…sorry guys but I've got to go." He said, glancing at his watch and noticing that it was almost 8. He went up the boy's dormitory and grabbed the books and stuffed them in his bag before heading back down. He came face to face with Hermione when he emerged back into the common room. A surge of anger flared in him and he walked past her when she opened her mouth to speak and climbed out of the portrait hole and set off towards the Room of Requirement.

Sirius and Lupin were already there and as soon as they saw Harry they stood up with stern expressions that reminded Harry of Professor McGonagall.

"I just got word from Dumbledore about what happened. Mind telling me exactly why you almost killed yourself?" Sirius growled. Harry explained what happened and at the end of it Lupin was frowning thoughtfully.

"You must have released almost every ounce of energy you had into that spell Harry. Only when a wizard is put under severe strain or emotional instability can he manage that. What happened Harry?" Harry grimaced.

"I'd rather not talk about it for now." He said quietly. Lupin regarded him for a few moments and nodded. Sirius still looked concerned but he let it go after a look from Lupin. They sat down and opened up some bottles of butterbeer that Lupin had brought.

"If you are put back in the hospital wing for doing magic again I will personally see to it that you are put away in St. Mungo's until you recover." Sirius said, narrowing his eyes at him.

"But it's a whole week." Harry whined.

"NO!" Sirius roared. "Harry do you have any idea how close to death you were?"

"Alright alright, I was only kidding. I don't want to spend a week on a bed anyway." Harry frowned thoughtfully, "Can't I start Occlumency yet?"

"I was planning on doing that today Harry, but with your condition it would not be very wise." Lupin said gently. Harry nodded unhappily.

"What _is _Occlumency anyway?"

"It is a way of defending your mind against external penetration. The opposite of it is Legilimency that gives you the power of accessing another's thoughts and memories. Voldemort is well versed in both arts and after your visions Dumbledore agreed that it is necessary for you to learn to defend yourself should you need it."

"So Voldemort could see what we are thinking whenever he wants to?" Harry asked worriedly.

"It depends on how well a person's mind is guarded. Sometimes the victim of a Legilimency attack can even reflect it to their invader if they are well versed in Occlumency. I don't think you will have much trouble mastering it though Harry. Resisting the Imperius curse is somewhat similar to this." He said smiling.

"So if I learn this, I might be able to block the visions?"

"That's what we're hoping for."

"Wait, what do you mean 'visions'? Did you have any more after the one you told me about?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, but none of them were as clear as the first one. They're all dark and blurry. I started seeing them after I came back to Hogwarts. It's usually always at night I see them and after that I usually can't go back to sleep at all."

"Hmm…we should have gotten started on this sooner. Harry, will you start going over the theory first? We can start on it first thing after Madam Promfey deems you fully recovered." Lupin said and Harry nodded eagerly. If he could stop the visions he could finally have a good night's sleep. They settled in comfortable silence, enjoying the drinks and talking about some of the things Harry could practice without doing magic for the upcoming week. When it was getting late they went back to Hog's head leaving Harry to go back to the grounds. He didn't want to admit it, but the visions he frequently saw made him uneasy and nervous and he was honestly afraid of falling asleep.

The rest of the weeks leading up to the day when the Goblet would choose the champions passed by without much incident. Harry noticed that Fleur and her friends always kept him company whenever they had free time, something that Harry was constantly looking forward to. He introduced the twins to them and later, the three chasers to them all of who became fast friends with each other. A number of hilarious incidents involving Filch, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and even Ron took place all of which Harry was sure the twins, Basile and Jean had a hand in.

Harry's was getting increasingly subdued whenever he wasn't with Fleur and the others. It seemed that most of his classmates were either too nervous to approach him or like Ron, muttered things behind his back. Hermione kept trying to speak to him but he completely ignored her, preferring to speak with Daphne whenever they had Potions or Runes. No one apart from the few that spoke to him even attempted to talk to him, and he didn't attempt to talk to anyone. It suited him better that way.

Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class was easily the most action packed. They were learning to take care of funny creatures that looked like a cross between a scorpion and a fire crab that Hagrid called 'Blast-ended Skrewts'. They quickly figured out why it was so called when one of them propelled itself forward with a bang with sparks flying out behind it. As time went by they seemed to get more and more aggressive and it was getting tougher to keep them from killing each other. Herbology was a smelly, all around disgusting affair where they were trying to extract a yellow pus from some plants which supposedly provided cures for acne. They couldn't wait to move on and onto the next part of the lesson which hopefully wouldn't be as bad as this.

Surprisingly, Harry's best subjects became Transfiguration, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts and most shockingly, Potions. All of the teachers, save Snape, were reveling in Harry's progress and they took great pride, Professor McGonagall especially, to give Harry more advanced bits of what they had just done seeing as he usually accomplished whatever was the goal of the lesson after just two or three attempts meaning he was free for the larger part of the lesson. Snape usually let him go whenever he finished and he almost never bothered Harry anymore, choosing to avoid him. A change which Harry greatly appreciated, and Malfoy hated.

Mad-eye Moody though, Harry found rather strange, ever since Harry had thrown off the Imperius Curse he often caught him gazing at him, quickly looking away whenever their eyes met. Whenever Moody drank from his hip-flask near Harry he could smell a familiar odor of which he almost always forgot about within the next few minutes under the strain of the work put under them.

Harry, Fleur and the others visited Hogsmeade whenever they had the chance. The French students were very pleased with the tiny town and took great delight exploring it. Twice when they were in it, Amy, Caroline, Aurélie and the others mysteriously disappeared for a few hours leaving Harry and Fleur alone, something which they both found intriguing. Yet, they never questioned it and enjoyed the time they had together, both happy to be in each other's company.

Harry couldn't understand how it was with him and Fleur. He had multiple people from Hogwarts and even from Durmstrang come up to him and ask bluntly if they were going out together, which he always denied fighting down the urge to curse them when they got smiles on their faces when he did. Once, an elderly couple they ran into in a shop in Hogsmeade remarked about how good they both looked together causing them both to blush furiously and hurry out of the shop, much to the shopkeeper's amusement. He realized by now that he was getting attracted to Fleur, but he was afraid to say anything and ruin the friendship they had, something which Harry treasured dearly.

Ever since he was declared to be fit once again for magic, he had gotten himself 3 very protective older sisters of sorts, Angelina, Katie and Alicia. All of who were closely watching over him. It was different from the constant nagging he used to get from Hermione, it made him feel like they were all a part of a big family.

Harry's duels with Sirius were steadily improving. Much to Sirius's approval Harry had altogether stopped using defensive spells and he had already mastered the shield breaking spell. Harry was able to break through almost any shields that Sirius erected and more than once he managed to corner Sirius. Although Sirius always managed to get out of it, Harry knew that he was proud with the way Harry was doing.

Harry finally started on Occlumency and it was safe to say that it is one of the most hardest things he had ever done. Whenever Lupin dived into his memories Harry couldn't control his emotions when he was forced to relive them, thus causing his concentration to fail and allowing Lupin easy access to his mind. Additionally, he now had headaches each day and his visions were getting more numerous.

In almost no time at all it was the 30th of October. Harry watched with everyone else as the goblet ignited with brilliant blue flames at exactly 7 in the evening. Immediately afterwards the Durmstrang students with Krum in the lead each came forwards and dropped slips of paper with their names and school written on them into the goblet which flared red every time a paper was dropped. Harry gave Fleur's hand a comforting squeeze before she got up which elicited a small smile from her before she walked up to the goblet and confidently dropped in her name followed by the rest of the Beauxbatons students.

Many of the Hogwarts student dropped in their names too. So far, the favorites were Cedric Diggory and Angelina Johnson, with both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor cheering on their housemates. Harry didn't mind either way as long as none of the Slytherins got chosen as champion.

After dinner Harry had just said bid good night to Fleur and the others and was just walking up the grand staircase when he heard a muffled scream coming from outside. He faintly thought he recognized the voice and bolted back downstairs and out into the grounds, pushing past the people who were milling out the Great Hall.

Harry arrived just in time to see a group of Durmstrang boys grab hold of Fleur roughly as she screamed again. Amy and the others were a few feet away from them and he could see them rushing to help Fleur. Seeing Fleur scream snapped something in him and he whipped out his wand and yelled _"Relashio!" _pointing his wand at the boys who were repelled backwards violently, away from Fleur. He ran over to her and his anger increased at the sight of her on her knees sobbing slightly with part of her uniform torn.

He crouched down next to her and gently gripped her hand. She shivered slightly and leaned into his arms crying softly while he stood up awkwardly trying to comfort her in any way he could, wrapping his arms around her. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Karkaroff yelling at the four students, their hands covered in blood, something that gave Harry a savage feeling of pleasure. Madame Maxime came up to Harry and gently laid her hand on Fleur who was still shaking violently and refusing to let go of Harry.

"Meester potter can you bring Fleur to ze carriage?" She asked. Harry nodded and gently guided her towards the carriage with Amy, Caroline and Aurélie following glancing at Fleur worriedly. They hadn't gone a few feet before they heard a voice behind them.

"Excuse me?" They turned to see the Durmstrang boys and Madame Maxime eyed them icily.

"Yes?" She asked coldly.

"Ve vanted to apologize for the vat happened, ve vere not in control of our actions." The tallest one of them said. Madame Maxime snorted and turned around without saying anything and Harry and the others followed leaving them standing with the crowd behind them. Once they were inside the carriage Harry led Fleur to her room with the others. She had quieted down but every now and then she would shiver suddenly. When Harry tried to let go of her she tightened her grip on him making him look helplessly at Madame Maxime and the others.

"Let 'er 'ave some time 'Arry" Aurélie said softly. Harry nodded, glancing worriedly at Fleur who still had her face hidden from view in his arms. They gently closed the door leaving them inside.

"Fleur?" He murmured softly and tried again to gently let go of her.

"Don't go." She whispered softly. She sounded so vulnerable that Harry couldn't find it in him to refuse.

Harry slid to the floor leaning against the wall with Fleur. It didn't seem prudent to put her on the bed, especially when she was refusing to let go.

She suddenly sighed and rested her head on his shoulder making him blush slightly before he pulled her closer to him. He stared out of the window at the moon shining brightly through the window. After a while he glanced down at Fleur and he was startled to find that she was fast asleep. She had a peaceful look on her face and Harry found himself blushing more when he saw how beautiful she looked under the light. Surprisingly, after a while he felt himself get drowsy and soon, he himself drifted off to sleep. No visions troubled him at all.

* * *

Madame Maxime came to check on Fleur in the middle of the night and she gently pushed open the door. She was surprised when she found both her and Harry asleep and after a brief moment's hesitation she closed the door again as quietly as she could.

* * *

Fleur woke up early in the morning feeling a little sore. She almost jumped in surprise when her pillow rose and fell and she looked up to see Harry with his eyes closed, leaning back against the wall with one hand around her. Her 'pillow' had been his shoulder. She suddenly remembered everything that happened the night and repressed another shiver that ran down her spine. She looked at her watch, it was still only 5 in the morning and besides, she was loathe to leave her spot next to Harry.

She gazed up at him and watched him fondly while he breathed in and out. Feeling sleep take over her again she leant contently against Harry and smiled inwardly when she felt Harry's arm tighten around her.

They were woken up to a loud chorus of "Aww's" from the girls and both of them had hurriedly got up, sleepiness forgotten.

"I trust you 'ad a good night's sleep 'Arry?" Aurélie asked winking at him. Harry looked so embarrassed that they burst out laughing at his expression, even Fleur.

"C'mon you two, we're going to Hogsmeade. The others are waiting for us outside." Caroline said before walking outside with the others, leaving Harry looking determinedly away from Fleur.

"I'm sorry Fleur, I meant to leave but I guess I fell asleep." Harry muttered. Fleur smiled and shook her head.

"I'm grateful zat you stayed 'Arry. Zat reminds me…" She said leaning in and kissing his cheek. She laughed at how he immediately blushed and felt pleased that she could get such a reaction from him. She quickly got changed when Harry left the room and soon stepped out of the carriage and joined the others. Even the twins and the Gryffindor chasers had come and they all spent the rest of the day in Hogsmeade. The group had fun teasing both Harry and Fleur about what happened in the morning and both were thankful when they started heading back to the castle.

Harry determinedly ignored the jealous stares coming his way when they walked back to the Great Hall and instead focused on the goblet like many of the others. After the Halloween feast was served and the food cleared, the headmaster got up and an unnatural silence settled throughout the hall.

"It is time for the champions to be chosen." He said and almost as soon as the words had escaped his lips, the goblet began hissing violently and sparks of read shot out from it. The sparks suddenly disappeared and a piece of paper came floating through the air which Dumbledore caught.

"The champion for Durmstrang will be, Viktor Krum!" He read loudly and the hall was filled with cheers and applause. Dumbledore smiled at Krum and directed him towards a door on the right behind the staff table. He stared intently at the goblet which was now sparking red once more and Dumbledore caught another paper that floated through the air.

"The champion for Beauxbatons is, Fleur Delacour!" The hall was filled with applause again, and Harry grinned at her who smiled radiantly back at him before standing up and walking up to Dumbledore who watched her with his eyes twinkling before directing her too, to the door on the right. The tension was now high as the goblet starting hissing again. A paper came flying out which Dumbledore grasped.

"The champion for Hogwarts is, Cedric Diggory!" The whole Hufflepuff table were on their feet applauding as Cedric walked over to Dumbledore. Harry sighed inwardly, he was glad it wasn't Warrington, the 7th year from Slytherin.

"Now then, the champions have been chosen and…" Dumbledore stopped himself when the goblet started hissing again and a paper shot out of it. He caught it and stared at it for a moment while the flames in the goblet died down until it became nonexistent. The entire hall was deathly quiet and almost immediately Harry had a bad feeling that whatever it was, was going to be bad news.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Harry Potter" He called and Harry felt himself freeze.

This was _very_ bad news.

* * *

**AN: Well, I couldn't think about having this any other way. This is only the beginning so there will be a lot that will change over the course of the upcoming chapters. **

**Thanks for reading and please review :) Love those things **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed :) Same goes out to everyone who added this to their alerts and favs. Really appreciate it so thanks guys! **

**The usual stuff, Italics. French. Thoughts etc etc. (Don't need to keep putting this up right?)**

**CHAPTER 6**

Harry couldn't believe his ears. The silence that had settled in the hall when Dumbledore had called out his name was deafening. He felt the gazes of everyone drilling into his back as he sat as still as a statue, trying to makes sense of what just happened.

"Harry Potter" Dumbledore called again, breaking the silence. Harry looked up and determinedly avoided the gazes of his housemates. He felt a cool hand grip his next to him and he looked at sideways at Aurélie who nodded encouragingly at him.

"It's alright, go on 'Arry." She said softly, giving him a comforting squeeze. He got up, feeling like his legs would give out at any moment from under him and turned towards the teacher's table. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he began to walk slowly towards the teacher table. He kept his eyes fixed on Dumbledore who was looking right back at him with a calculating expression on his face.

It felt like he would never reach the table. Quiet muttering broke out around him. The icy stares were enough to send chills down his spine. He cleared his mind completely using everything Lupin taught him with Occlumency, blocking out everything. He didn't want to know what they were saying.

Dumbledore stepped aside when he reached him, clearing the path to the door that Fleur and the others had gone through. As soon as he was in, the door swung shut behind him. Breathing a sigh of relief at being away from under the gazes of everyone he leaned against the wall. His mind was in chaos. Blind fear and panic threatened to overwhelm him.

He didn't have much time though, the door swung open again to reveal a rather large, blonde haired wizard who Harry recognized as the enthusiastic commentator from the world cup.

"Harry! Why are you standing here? Let's go join the others." He said, beaming at him. He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and practically pushed him down the corridor and opened a door on the right to reveal a moderately sized room with comfortable looking couches and a fire blazing in the fireplace at the side. Fleur, Cedric and Krum who had been standing silently away from each other looked up when Harry and Bagman walked in.

"'Arry? What's wrong?" Fleur asked, he could detect a note of concern in her voice and he knew his face was betraying some of the panic he was feeling. Cedric and Krum were looking at him curiously too and he opened his mouth to say something but found that he couldn't get his voice to work. Bagman on the other hand, had no such problems.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce you to the youngest and _fourth _champion?" He said in his signature voice that he used while commentating. Fleur, Cedric and Krum just stared at him, he stared fixedly at the floor, unable to look at any of them.

"But, zere must be a mistake!" Fleur exclaimed.

Bagman turned smiling brightly at her, "Mistake? No, no I assure you, Mr. Potter's name came out of the goblet just a few minutes ago!" At that moment the door behind them burst open and Dumbledore came in, leading a group of people. He strode swiftly to Harry and grabbed his shoulders tightly.

"Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire Harry?" He asked, shaking him roughly. His voice was one that Harry wasn't used to hearing from in all of the past years in Hogwarts.

"No!"

"Did you ask an older student to put it for you?"

"No sir, I didn't." Harry said, looking straight into Dumbledore's electric blue eyes. He felt like he was being X-rayed and repressed a shudder.

"He is lying!" A man said loudly and Harry looked up to see that it was the Durmstrang headmaster that had spoken. Dumbledore ignored him.

"Are you telling the truth Harry?" He asked, his voice was back to the normal tone that he always used when talking with him and that put him at ease.

"Yes sir." Harry said quietly.

"Are you just going to let this boy lie to you Albus?" The Durmstrang headmaster said again, Harry could see that the man was positively livid.

"Karkaroff…" Moody growled. The Durmstrang headmaster fell silent.

"Headmaster, Potter has been crossing lines ever since he first came to this school. I wouldn't put it past him to disobey the rules set for the tournament." Snape drawled from the back and Harry could feel his anger rise tenfold and forced himself to remain quiet.

"That's enough Severus." Dumbledore said with an air of finality in his voice. "I don't think that Harry put his name in but due to the rules, he will have to compete."

"This is preposterous! Hogwarts can't have two champions! I demand that we reignite the Goblet and resubmit names so that each school will have two champions. Else I will be forced to withdraw my student and return to our school. We have no wish to participate in a biased tournament. It is only fair." Karkaroff said coldly.

Moody suddenly laughed. "Empty threats as always Karkaroff. You and your champion are not going anywhere. He was chosen so he, like Potter, has to compete. I assume you are knowledgeable about the binding magical contract he signed when he submitted his name?"

"Which also means that Potter has to compete. How convenient." Snape said. He walked forward and Harry saw that Snape had a sinister smile on his face. Harry braced himself, whatever was coming next could not be good.

"I know for a fact that many of the Gryffindor students, led by Fred and George Weasley tried to submit their names late last night by using the ageing potion. Your ever faithful sidekick was also present at the time I believe as he was with them in the hospital wing getting rid of the after effects. So Potter, is there any reason to believe that you were not with them? Perhaps the Goblet malfunctioned and there were no problems for you?"

"I was not with them." Harry said quietly.

"It's going to take more than your word for that Potter."

"'Arry did not go anywhere near ze Goblet." Fleur said and Harry turned to Fleur to find her glaring daggers at Snape. He didn't want to mention the fact that he was with Fleur because it would embarrass her.

"Can you confirm that?" Snape sneered at her.

"'E was wiz me." She said causing everyone to look at her with shocked expressions. Several moments passed before Snape broke the silence.

"Headmaster, inappropriate behavior such as…" Whatever else that Snape was going to say was cut off by Madame Maxime's loud voice.

"What are you implying Monsieur? I know for a fact zat Monsieur Potter was with us for I 'ad personally asked 'im to come after ze incident with ze students from Durmstrang. I decided to let 'im stay since it was late. I trust zere are no problems with this?" She asked, directing her question at Dumbledore who now had a small smile and a twinkle in his eye.

"Of course not." His face grew somber, "I am afraid that you will still have to compete because of the contract."

"Sir please, I don't want to compete." Harry said desperately. Before Dumbledore speak again however, Karkaroff interrupted.

"So an underage wizard is going to be allowed to compete? Giving Hogwarts an unfair advantage? What about the students that worked hard for this chance Albus? Many of my students would die for the chance to compete! We should…"

"Maybe someone is hoping that Potter is going to die for it." Moody interrupted quietly. Harry heard Fleur gasp quietly and he felt her hand brush against his momentarily. Everyone looked stunned at Moody's words.

"Alastor, what are you saying? You can't be serious?" Bagman asked, his eye widened anxiously.

"The Goblet is a very old and powerful artifact. Only a powerful witch or wizard could have hoodwinked it to make it think that perhaps, instead of just three schools competing there are four. Thereby submitting Potter's name under the fourth group. Given the history of this tournament and the binding contract it seems like the perfect chance to expose Potter to the dangers that come with the tournament."

"You know a lot about it." Karkaroff sneered. Moody turned to focus on him, fixing both his normal and artificial eye on him.

"It's my job to think as dark wizards do Karkaroff. It has served me well in my days as an auror, as you should know…"

"Alastor…" Dumbledore said warningly, silencing Moody. "Now then, I think it's about time we let the champions have their instructions. Mr. Crouch? If you please…"

A man with greying hair who was standing beside Madame Maxime stepped forward. He wore a neat muggle suit, Harry doubted even his uncle could see him for what he is.

"The first task will take place on the 24th of November. This task is designed to test your daring and nerve in the face of the unknown so you will not be given any information about what you will face. If any of you have questions about it, I suggest you ask them now." Crouch looked around at Harry, Fleur, Krum and Cedric expectantly. When no one spoke he nodded in satisfaction.

"Mr. Potter, since you were submitted independently, that is, without the backing of a school, you may choose to either be a champion for Hogwarts or remain as you are. Which means you will be an individual entry." Harry looked up in surprise. He knew that there would be no difference in what he chose; he already knew how the rest of the school would react to him competing in the tournament. He thought about Cedric. He was chosen to represent Hogwarts. He was the true Hogwarts champion; there was no reason for him to intrude on the Hufflepuff's glory.

That, and this would at least make it fair. More trouble shouldn't be caused for Fleur and the others because of him.

Harry looked up, catching Dumbledore's eye. By the small smile on the headmaster's face, he had an odd feeling that he knew what Harry was going to choose. "I will remain as I am sir."

"Then it is settled. Good luck to you all." Crouch smiled stiffly at them before moving back and out of the door, closely followed by Snape, Moody and McGonagall who Harry hadn't noticed.

Dumbledore turned, smiling at them. "This has been a long night for all of you. I advise that you all get yourselves to bed as soon as possible. Oh, and before I forget…the wand weighing ceremony will take place next week on Wednesday. Make sure you all get excused from your classes and come to the unused classroom on the ground floor by three in the afternoon." Karkaroff beckoned Krum and they were the first to head to the door.

"Harry, Cedric, make sure you two head back to your common rooms now. I'm sure your house mates are waiting up for you." Dumbledore said brightly before walking out.

Harry waited until Dumbledore and Cedric went outside before turning to Fleur, avoiding her eyes.

"Fleur? Can I speak to you for a moment?" He heard Fleur say something in French to Madame Maxime who nodded at her and followed after Dumbledore, giving Harry a small smile. Just when he realized it was only him and Fleur in the room, her voice broke the silence.

"'Arry?" He looked up at her for a moment before looking away again. He felt like he had wronged her somehow.

"Fleur, I just wanted to apologize. I…" His words failed him when he felt her hand on his chain, bringing his face up to meet her gaze.

"Zere is nothing for you to apologize for 'Arry." Harry shook his head.

"You shouldn't have had to say that you were with me in front of everyone." He mumbled, his eyes once again drifting downwards. He felt her slip her hand into his, squeezing it slightly.

"'Arry, I don't regret saying it at all. You stayed wiz me when I needed you and I am grateful for 'aving someone like you as one of my best friends. I didn't want zem zinking zat you 'ad entered ze tournament. Even if you 'adn't been wiz me zat time I know you would never 'ave entered yourself into zis." He looked tentatively up at her and was relieved to find that she was smiling at him. There was no trace of doubt in her eyes. Unconsciously he found himself thinking how pretty she was and mentally kicked himsel.

Her smile dropped suddenly and she looked downcast for a moment, making Harry look at her worriedly.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"It's just, what zat man said worries me. Why would anyone want to put your name into ze Goblet 'Arry? What if zey did it 'oping you would get 'urt?" She bit her lip. "What if anyzing 'appens to you during ze tournament?" Harry felt a mixture of happiness and guilt. Knowing that she was worried about him caused his heart to soar with happiness while another part of him was guilty for making her worry about him.

"Nothing will happen to me Fleur. If what he said is true, I'm more worried that something will happen to you or the others because of me." She smiled softly at him and leaned in giving him a peck on his cheek. He felt the heat rise in him and she laughed at his expression.

"Zat is one of the things I like about you 'Arry." She murmured softly. Harry who was blushing by now could do nothing but grin back at her. "We should get going, Madame Maxime is waiting for me."

Harry nodded and they left the room. He saw the Beauxbatons headmistress and to his surprise, Cedric waiting for them at the entrance to the Great Hall. When they reached them Fleur's hand left his which he noticed with a shock had been intertwined in his from the moment she first took it back in the room.

"Bonne nuit 'Arry, you too Monsieur Diggory." Fleur added, looking at Cedric who grinned back at her.

"'Night Fleur, Madame." Harry said respectfully to Madame Maxime who smiled back at him and left, putting her hand around Fleur's shoulders and the two started conversing in rapid French as they made their way out.

Harry looked curiously at Cedric who shook his head and gestured towards the stairs. Once they started climbing Cedric stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to him.

"Harry, why did you choose to not represent Hogwarts?"

He sighed, "You are the one that was chosen to represent Hogwarts, I'm not even supposed to be in this thing. I'm only worried about getting through this thing to the end since I have to compete. Hogwarts deserves its true champion. Not someone underage and inexperienced. I'll probably end up embarrassing myself. Rather not drag everything down with me."

Cedric smiled warmly at him. "Still, it would have been better if we had two chances at it. I don't think you will be bad at the tournament. In fact, I think you will give us all a run for our money. The stuff I've heard you've done over the past few years…well…" He trailed off and Harry managed a small smile at him. They both started making their way to the first floor when Cedric suddenly laughed. Harry looked at him curiously and found that Cedric had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"So, you and Fleur eh?" He said slyly. Harry felt his cheeks flush at the question and was glad of the darkness that hid it.

"We're just friends." Harry mumbled, but as he said it, he knew how weak it sounded. Given how close they had gotten in the short amount of time he trusted her more than any other person he had met.

"Sure" His tone was heavy with sarcasm. "You like her don't you? Even an idiot can see that." He laughed at the mortified look on Harry's face. "Don't worry, I won't go around telling anyone. Especially about where you were say…last night?" His tone was teasing.

"Cedric…" Harry growled.

"Relax. But still, you're seriously lucky Harry." Cedric sighed. "Don't tell Cho I said anything!" He added hurriedly.

Harry who had been getting increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation grinned.

"Oh? So Cho Chang from Ravenclaw. I actually know her, she's the seeker for their team right?"

"Yeah." He replied. Harry once had a crush on the pretty Asian girl back in their third year. After the summer and returning to Hogwarts, he hadn't even spared a single thought about her and the news about her and Cedric only served to give him a means of retaliating against Cedric's teasing.

They had reached the fourth floor when Cedric stopped, saying that he had to go down that way to his common room. Harry glanced curiously down the corridor and wondered, not for the first time, where exactly the Hufflepuff common room was. He only knew where the Slytherin one was. After bidding him good night Harry resumed his slow pace back to the Gryffindor tower.

He felt a small sense of apprehension slowly grow in him as each step he took drew him closer to the portrait of the Fat Lady. He didn't know how any of them would react. He knew that almost everyone in school had been dying for the chance to compete and with him getting in despite being underage was surely going to cause him to be at the receiving end of their resentment.

He sighed as he reached the seventh floor. It wasn't going to be anything he wasn't used to. He had been at the receiving end of people's dark mutterings before, especially during their second year when everyone thought that it was him who was attacking muggle-borns around the school. Besides, this year hadn't exactly been the greatest one since the start. What with his falling out with Ron and Hermione, the only two people he had been close to since his first year at Hogwarts and with him concentrating harder on his work meant that he had put quite a bit of distance between himself and the rest of them. The only things that brightened up his day was seeing Sirius and Lupin at their lessons and spending his spare time with Fleur and her friends.

"So, school champion?" The Fat Lady asked when he drew up to her, surveying him with pride. Harry smiled at her. "Not exactly...Balderdash." She swung forward to admit him. Hands flew out to pull him through and he was met with a large cheering crowd led by the twins.

"How did you get in Harry?" They both asked at the same time while people around him were shouting incomprehensible questions at him.

"And without even getting a beard. Wicked!" Fred shouted.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, shaking his head. His own voice wouldn't be heard over the loud voices of everyone around him. Fred suddenly shouted over the din.

"Quiet! Let him speak." Harry looked at Fred with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. All he wanted to do was to get away from them and get to bed. When they had all quieted down and looked at him expectantly he finally found his voice.

"I didn't enter." He knew that they probably wouldn't believe him but he had to try. Several of them made disbelieving noises as he expected. What he didn't expect however, was for a snide voice that floated through.

"Yeah, like we're supposed to believe that. You probably entered yourself because you think you can do all the stuff in the tournament better than anyone else. You're just going to embarrass everyone here when you do the tasks." Harry's eyes narrowed as he recognized the voice belonging to Ron. He searched through the crowd which had gone very still trying to find him.

Harry fixed him with a cold stare once he located the mass of red hair at the back and spoke. "I don't care if you believe it or not. I don't know why my name came out of the goblet. All I want to do is to get through this in one piece. Cedric is the Hogwarts champion and he will remain the only one. I am not anyone's champion so none of you need to worry that I will embarrass anyone. Dumbledore and the people that matter know why I am forced to compete and that's enough for me. I'm not going to waste my time convincing anyone."

A long silence followed after his words and no one dared to talk, even Ron.

"Harry, most of us don't think that you entered yourself to this thing." George spoke up and many of the other Gryffindors nodded, murmuring their agreement.

"Besides unlike _some _of us, we don't think that you will fail at any of the tasks." Katie spoke up, shooting Ron a piercing glare.

"Yeah, we're just glad that one of us our own are going to be competing. Give 'em hell Harry!" Fred said loudly making most of them laugh, breaking the tension that had built up since Harry spoke. Harry was relieved to find that there were still people who he could count on and smiled at them. He noticed however that there were still many people, comprised mainly by the Gryffindors in his year other than Neville and Hermione were glaring openly at him. He didn't pay attention to either of them and after extricating himself from the crowd by saying that he needed to sleep he made his way to the dormitories which was mercifully empty.

He pulled off his hairband and let out a frustrated sigh as he sat down on his bed. Why did everything have to happen to him? Moody's words had increased his apprehension. The way Dumbledore had suggested for him to be trained was oddly coming together, the vision he had of Pettigrew and Voldemort before the world cup combined with the death eaters in the world cup and finally his name coming out of the goblet seemed to be linked with each other and seemed to come together like the pieces of a puzzle.

Besides, how would Sirius and Lupin take the news? If they hadn't heard it already. They were already working him to the point of exhaustion, driven by a drive to push Harry past his limits. Not that he was complaining but it was difficult for him to keep track of both that and his school work. Now with the addition of the tournament he had no idea how he was going to start to even get prepared for it.

He let down his weak Occlumency barriers for the first time since the whole day and repressed a moan as the full extent of his emotions threatened to overpower him. He needed to learn how to better control his emotions and thought wryly about how urgent it was. He had an inkling that the upcoming days in Hogwarts were going to prove that he needed every ounce of control he could manage.

He got up and got changed into his night clothes. He was too exhausted to even think about going back outside on his nightly sessions. Before he lay back down on his bed however he a few protective wards around his bed. After all, he didn't know what to expect from his fellow classmates. Better be safe than sorry. He took off his glasses and placed them on his bedside table, slightly afraid of falling asleep. He had managed to stop most of the visions which intruded on his sleep but some of them still succeeded in unnerving him. They kept switching frequently between dark blury shapes and a face with burning red eyes and a horribly deformed body which always woke him up with a gasp.

Unable to stop the drowsiness that overcame him, he closed his eyes. Surrendering to whatever his dreams would bring.

* * *

The next day found Harry sitting early at breakfast with Aurélie and Caroline. Both of them were genuinely concerned about him and assured him that they would all support him and help him in any way that they could. Fleur was still asleep since they had no classes in the morning and after hastily saying goodbye to the two French witches he left hurriedly for Ancient Runes, determinedly ignoring the gazes on him and the mutinous mutterings that followed him.

He made it with a few minutes to spare and lined up outside with the other students outside of the classroom as it wasn't open yet.

"Harry!" He turned to see Daphne walking up to him.

Harry grinned at her. "'Morning."

"Well? Aren't you going to explain how you became a champion?" He raised an eyebrow slightly. Her tone wasn't accusatory, but curious. Harry regarded her for a few moments.

"I don't know." He said truthfully. She gazed at him before smirking.

"Why must you always be like this? I wish that you were harder to read." She said with a long, fake sigh.

"Huh?"

"You're telling the truth." She looked almost disappointed. He looked at her in confusion.

"And that's bad because…?"

"Just, not fun at all." Harry grinned at her. It was sort of a private joke between them ever since they had met in their second year. She found it amusing that she could read Harry so easily and never lost a moment when she could point it out in detail which always annoyed him. Their conversation was cut short at the arrival of Professor Babbling and a few feet behind her, Hermione. Harry raised spared her a glance and turned away from her when her eyes found his. He had a feeling that she was going to talk to him and didn't want to give her the chance. He still couldn't find it in him to forgive her.

The lesson was interesting to say the least. Harry had already caught up with the rest of the class, something which pleased the Professor a lot. They had started learning about the runes which could be imbued with magic to add certain properties to instruments of all sorts, strengthening them. Harry was greatly interested to learn that runes had been inscribed in the balls which were used for Quidditch. The Quaffle for example, had a rune which made it indestructible and slowed its falling speed when it lost too much altitude without the hands of a chaser supporting it.

Once their time was up, Harry resignedly made his way down to the dungeons with Daphne and Tracey for potions. The Slytherins were going to be infuriating. As soon as he reached the dungeons, sure enough, a familiar drawl reached his ears.

"If it isn't the champion. Hey boys, how long do you think he will last in the first task before he wets himself or snuffs it? I personally prefer the second option, but I'd rather keep the first open too." Crabbe and Goyle sniggered stupidly while a couple of other Slytherins laughed. Harry ignored them and clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palm. He could not have been more happy to see Snape when he arrived almost immediately, cutting off any additional remarks Malfoy had for him.

Snape seemed to be in an exceptionally foul mood today as he walked in, snapping at Malfoy to be quiet. Something which brought a grin to Harry's face as he watched Malfoy fall silent with a look of complete shock. Harry mildly wondered what anyone could have done to put Snape into such a foul mood that he would snap at his favorite student and made sure to keep his head down and avoid looking at Snape for the entire lesson. Poor Neville received the full force of Snape's temper and was visibly reduced him to tears by the end of the lesson much to the amusement of the Slytherins.

Harry could never have been more happy to get out of from Snape's class as soon as the time was up. Once outside he breathed a sigh of relief and set off towards the Great Hall for lunch. Glad that he had a free period afterwards before Defense against the Dark Arts.

He spotted Fleur and the others already seated a little way away from the other students in the Gryffindor table. Making his way over to them he slipped into the empty seat beside Fleur who smiled brightly at him to which he grinned back, ignoring the swooping sensation in his stomach.

"Finally woke up I see." Harry said with a mischievous glint in his eye making Fleur pout.

"If I hadn't gone just an hour ago to get her, she would've slept through the whole day." Caroline remarked with a smirk.

"I wouldn't 'ave!" Her expression was so serious that Harry burst out laughing. After a moment the others joined in on his laughter making the people in the vicinity look at them with raised eyebrows. They were soon joined by Jean, Basile and a couple of other Beauxbatons students and the rest of the hour was spent in laughter. After lunch the Beauxbatons students had to go for their classes leaving Harry with two hours free before his final lesson for the day.

Deciding against going to the common room where he will most likely run into Ron and the others he went up to the owlery to visit Hedwig. The snowy white owl fluttered down to his shoulder as soon as he walked in and nipped rather painfully at his ear, drawing blood.

"Ow! Yeah, I guess I deserved that. Sorry for not coming to visit girl." The owl then affectionately rubbed its head against his cheek and closed its eyes, still on its perch from his shoulder. Harry walked towards the large window and surveyed the grounds. He caught sight of the Quidditch pitch and smiled sadly. How much easier would this have all been if there was no tournament. He would normally be training hard for the matches around this time with the others and they would have had their first match of the season by next week.

He smiled fondly remembering the time he spent with Fleur and the others just before he came here. There was never a dull moment with them. In the short time he had known them they had become much closer to him than Ron and Hermione were. Apart from Fleur, Aurélie seemed to be closer to him than the others. He grinned when he remembered when he had let it slip that her blue hair made her look pretty. She had been feeling down because of some of the Hogwarts girls who maintained that she had dyed her hair that way. He didn't know what made him say it but it had improved her mood greatly, much to the amusement of the others.

He was already dreading the end of the year. Without considering the tournament, by the end of the school year they would all be going back and he had no idea if he would ever be able to see them again. Although he never admitted it, it was a constant pain at the back of his mind and he had a gnawing fear that he would be left alone for the next few years in Hogwarts. Provided he makes it through this year.

"Harry?" A tentative voice called from behind him, bringing him out of his musings. He recognized the voice and sighed exasperatedly. Turning around he fixed Hermione with a cold look. She looked worried. "What happened to your ear?"

He had forgotten about the pain in his ear and grimaced. "I didn't see Hedwig for a while." He saw her draw out her wand and step closer to him and raised his hand. "Don't"

She looked hurt and stepped back. After a few moments he gently prodded Hedwig and stroked her wings gently. She gave a soft hoot and took off, back to her perch with the other owls. He made to walk past Hermione but she stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Harry, please. I need to talk to you." Her tone was pleading.

Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I don't have anything I want to talk to you about."

"I'm sorry Harry! For everything! I wasn't thinking properly at that time. I was only comforting Ginny and I was a little jealous at how you were…" She was interrupted when Harry laughed.

"Hermione, I never knew how petty you were. After all these years I have finally seen that none of my friends ever grew up past our first year. You were worried about something as trivial as who does better in class? You think I was doing better in class because I want to show everyone up? Prove myself better than the lot of you?"

"Harry, I know I was wrong and what I said was stupid but…" She tried to protest but was cut off again by Harry.

"And what the hell do you mean when you say that you were trying to comfort Ginny?"

"She told me you bought a necklace for the girl you met at the world cup Harry. She was really upset, she had a crush on you even before she came to Hogwarts Harry. Just seeing you and that girl together hurt her a lot…" She began and Harry felt an anger rise in him.

"So what? She thinks that I betrayed her in any way?" Harry asked incredulously. "Who I spend my time with, who I talk to is and never will be her business. Or yours. Fleur has been a much better friend to me than any of you have ever been. Since it's your job to comfort Ginny, you can tell her that I never liked her in any way. I always looked at her as a sister."

"I was wrong Harry, I'm sorry. I've been worried about you. You never seem to be in the common room at night and you looked like you were getting sick. I know you never entered yourself into this tournament Harry. I want to help you get through this. Please, let me help."

"I'm glad you think I didn't enter myself." Harry replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He didn't know what was making him angry, he had a splitting headache and noticed that his occlumency barriers had dropped and took a moment to erect them again. Once he had calmed down he looked at Hermione. "I don't need your help. I accept your apology, but that will be all. Now please stop bothering me every time you get close to me. I have enough distractions as it is."

She was in tears by now and Harry felt a slight pang of guilt which he squashed ruthlessly. "Harry, can't we be the same as we were before? I miss being with you."

"I don't know. You and Ron were the only people who I trusted the most apart from Sirius and I don't want to face the same thing that happened again." Harry walked past her and stopped at the door. "Maybe when you two grow up and take a moment and look at what's really happening…but even then I don't think I can ever go back to seeing you two the same way." Harry left her standing there and went downstairs, into one of the bathrooms and cleaned the blood which had trickled down his wound and put a weak healing spell on his ear which closed the wound. Then he hurried to Moody's classroom and made it with a few minutes to spare before the lesson began. He caught sight of Neville who was sitting alone and went up to him.

"Hey Neville, you alright?" He felt slightly guilty for not checking up on Neville after potions. The round faced boy managed a small smile at him.

"Yeah, I'm okay Harry. But Snape was in a really bad mood wasn't he?"

"Yeah…he was. Oh yeah, last class Moody asked you to stay behind right? Everything alright?" Harry asked curiously. Neville suddenly smiled. With a hint of pride coloring his voice that he rarely heard from him before, he answered.

"Oh, Professor Moody gave me some books on Herbology that he thought I might find interesting. Professor Sprout had told him that I was good at it and it turns out that he is rather interested in Herbology too." Harry grinned, it was a nice gesture that Moody did for him. Neville rarely got any recognition from his teachers. Moody strode in, his wooden leg clunking on the floor soon afterwards and Harry took his seat behind Neville.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody suddenly roared and laughed as everyone jumped in shock. Harry grinned inwardly. He always did that, at some point during the lesson. He's already done it so many times that Harry couldn't believe how none of the other students were never prepared for it. After the initial three or four classes Harry could almost see it coming and was prepared for it when Moody shouted again at a class a few weeks ago. Something which Moody noticed and awarded twenty points while chuckling maddeningly.

"Alright, turn to chapter seven of your books and read up on the first couple of pages. After that I want you all to take notes on this. We will be putting all of it to practical use next class, or today if we have time to spare. Well? Go on then." Moody growled and they turned to the pages of their books grumbling in disappointment.

After class Harry went downstairs, wondering what he could do for the next few hours before dinner. He didn't know if Fleur and the others were done with class so he went outside, to his favorite place beside the lake. As he drew closer he was both surprised and pleased to find Fleur sitting with her back propped up against the large tree behind her. She looked up as he approached and smiled at him. Sitting next to her he grinned back.

"You're done too?" He asked.

"Oui, ze others 'ave classes though. I don't like Arithmancy." She said with a shudder.

"That's the one with all of those numbers and stuff right?" She laughed.

"Yes 'Arry, ze one with numbers." A comfortable silence settled over them although Harry wished now that he had sat a little bit away from her. He realized after a few minutes that she was leaning against him and felt his heart beat rapidly. Closing his eyes he breathed in her flowery scent, wishing that he could stay like this forever. Although this brought back his earlier thoughts about when she would leave by the end of the year. He knew now that he liked her in no way that he had anyone else, but he had no idea how to approach her in that way. He also didn't want to lose what he had already with her.

"What's worrying you?" Fleur asked after some time. Harry turned to see her bright blue eyes fixed on his face.

"Nothing really." He murmured. She shook her head.

"Come on 'Arry, don't lie. I know somezing's wrong." Harry sighed grinned faintly at her.

"Am I really that easy to read?"

"Sometimes." She said playfully. She gave him a questioning look that told him that she wasn't going to let it go until he answered her.

"It's nothing. I'm just worried about how everything will turn out I guess."

"What do you mean?" She asked softly. Harry thought for a moment, deciding the best way to put what he was thinking into words.

"I met Hermione earlier today." She nodded, encouraging him to continue. He could see that her lips had formed a hard line. He had confided in her about Ron and Hermione and she was angry at them for what had happened. "She apologized to me and well, honestly I had been thinking that if they thought over what they had done and apologized to me I would happily have accepted it and things could go back to the way they were, but…I just can't do it. I realized that there was no way that I can ever trust her again."

"'Arry, it's alright if you can't find it in you to see zem ze same way as you did before." Her tone gentle.

"That's not what worries me Fleur, it's just that. I don't understand it, but there are no other people that I enjoy being with other than you and the others." She looked surprised at this and he blushed slightly. "Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia and Katie. They are the only people that can at least speak normally with me. All of the others, well. They don't treat me like a normal person. And they always change. With this tournament and the mess I'm in, it's easy to see that. By the end of the year you will all be going back and since the others aren't even in the same year as me well…"

He felt a slight weight on his shoulder and looked down to find Fleur's head resting on it.

"'Arry, you aren't as alone as you zink. Yes, it is painful to zink zat we will be not be able to see each otherer like we do now when we leave but we will always remain friends. I don't like ze thought of you spending ze whole summer with zose 'orrible muggles. Maybe you can come back with us for summer? Maman and papa would be pleased, Gabrielle will love it too. Zey asked a lot about you when I wrote to zem. Papa was furious zat zey are still making you compete even though it's obvious zat you never entered ze tournament."

Harry felt elated at her words and gently squeezed her hand which she was in his, although he couldn't remember exactly when they had made contact.

"Thank you." He said quietly turning to look at her. His breath caught in his chest when he found her staring intently at him. He realized then that their faces were only inches apart from each other and he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from hers. They were shining beautifully and he unconsciously moved closer to her as she did to him. Her eyes fluttered shut as they got nearer and Harry had almost closed his eyes when at that moment, a voice tore through the silence.

"Fleur? You there?" It was Amy's voice and they both immediately turned away from each other, blushing furiously. Harry inwardly groaned, what was he thinking? He had almost kissed her! Unable to look at Fleur in the eye he looked away. Moments later Amy, Caroline and Aurélie appeared from the side.

"There you are! And hey Harry! When did you get here?" Caroline asked brightly, unaware of the blushes that were covering both their faces.

"Some time ago." Harry mumbled.

"We're starving, come on you two." Amy said and Harry nodded, getting to his feet. After hesitating for a second he held out his hand to Fleur who was still on the ground and almost sighed in relief when she accepted it and allowed him to pull her to her feet. The others set off in towards the castle but Harry shifted nervously on his feet and looked at the ground.

"erm, Fleur?...sorry, I err…." He didn't know what else to say. He felt her hand on his chin and felt her raise his head up to meet her eyes. He felt an immense feeling of relief spread through him in addition to feeling his heart race when he saw that she was smiling shyly at him, making her look if possible, even more beautiful than normal with her cheeks colored red.

"For what?" She whispered and before he knew it, she leaned in and kissed him swiftly on his lips. He went rigid as she drew back and his mind went blank. She laughed at his expression and took his hand, pulling him with her after the others who had turned around at Fleur's laughter.

"What's ze matter with you two?" Aurélie asked, looking at them with a questioning look. Catching sight of Harry's expression she suddenly grinned. "What's wrong wiz 'Arry?"

"Nothing!" Harry flinched at how high his voice sounded and couldn't help but grin when everyone else started laughing. They set off together for the castle again. Fleur still had her hand wrapped on his and even when they entered the Great Hall she didn't let go of it. Only once they had seated themselves in their usual places did she finally let go. Harry wasn't allowed time to think when they were joined by Fred, George and the chasers and before he knew it, it was almost time for him to meet with Sirius and Lupin in the Room of Requirement. Hurriedly he got up, bidding good night to them, his gaze lingering on Fleur for a moment. Unable to think of anything to say to her, especially with the others around, he gave her a small smile before walking away.

Outside the hall he took a deep breath, letting everything that happened run slowly again through his mind. The realization that hit him made his mouth curve upwards into a huge grin and set off up the stairs with a new skip in his step.

"Harry!" His godfather cried, bringing him into a bone crushing hug when he stepped into the room. He looked up at Sirius and Lupin surprised until he realized that they had probably heard the news about him and the tournament from Dumbledore.

"Guess you know that I have to compete in the tournament then?" Harry asked as they sat down around the table next to the fire.

Lupin nodded. He looked more worn out than ever and Harry wondered whether the full moon was closely approaching.

"I can't believe they are making you do this! It's clear that someone else has their plans in store for you and they're still going to let this go on!" Sirius growled. "I expected more from Dumbledore."

"Harry, this is going to give anyone that is aiming at you a clear shot at doing whatever they want to you. This is not good news at all." Lupin said gravely.

"What am I supposed to do? All I can do is face whatever they throw at me." Harry said quietly. Sirius got up and started pacing around the room. Harry had never seen him this agitated, even during the first few times they had dueled and his abysmal performance had been apparent.

"This tournament was cancelled _because_ of the death toll. I have no idea why they reopened it and how safe it will be. All I do know however is that all three of the tasks are going to be exceedingly dangerous and it only takes one mistake, or someone operating with bad intentions to cause another death. I'll be damned if anything happens to you." Sirius's voice had a hard edge to it.

"Calm down Sirius, we can safely say with the amount Harry has grown up to now that he will be more than competent at handling anything these tasks throw at him." Lupin said, looking proudly at him.

"I know, I know. But it's just…this is getting out of hand. The same year that Harry has these visions, Dumbledore calling us in to prepare Harry…." Sirius sighed, sitting back down and running his hands through his hair.

"They gave no hint about the first task?" Lupin asked, looking at him curiously.

"No, we won't know what we're going to face until we do."

"You can be sure that the others will find out some way or another. Cheating is, and has always been a major part of this tournament. I know for a fact that the Department in the Ministry that organized this had a lot of dealings in Romania." Lupin said thoughtfully. Romania…why was it that it sounded familiar?

"Well, I guess all we can do is to continue with our lessons until we get a hint of whatever it is." Sirius remarked. Then his face broke into a smirk, an evil glint in his eyes. "How was it? Spending a whole night with a Veela? You make even me jealous sometimes pup. Becoming that close to a Veela is every man's dream and for you to do it at fourteen…I'm so proud of you."

"WHAT! What the hell are you thinking!" Harry roared, disregarding the blush that crept up to his face. Both Lupin and Sirius were laughing uncontrollably, clutching at their sides. "I did not do anything with Fleur that night! She was hurt and I stayed with her to make sure she was alright. I just…fell asleep." Harry glared pointedly at them when they renewed their laughter to a point that they were in hysterics. Sirius was gasping for breath, wiping tears of laughter out of his eyes while Lupin was still chuckling uncontrollably five minutes later.

"Harry, I can name one person who said the exact same thing as you did after he had spent the night with Lily in our seventh year. Both your words are exactly the same, it's uncanny." Harry grinned, unable to help himself.

Soon, after they had calmed down, Harry and Sirius took their places. When the duel started Harry waited, carefully watching Sirius. Sirius always initiated the duels at first but ever since Harry had started improving, Sirius had been getting increasingly wary. Therefore, when Sirius fired a stunning spell at him swiftly, Harry quickly sidestepped it, barely avoiding it in his surprise. He wasn't given a moment to react when Sirius fired a silent spell at him and he quickly thought with all his might, _Protego! _An invisible barrier expanded around him and when Sirius's spell collided with it, it made a sound similar to a bell chiming.

Harry quickly directed his wand at the bookshelf next to Sirius _"Fero!" _the books toppled outwards and Sirius hastily jumped out of the way but Harry grinned. _"Incendio" _he thought silently, causing the books to burst into flames. Sirius growled and sent three quick spells in succession before moving away from the flames. Harry ducked, sidestepped and conjured small shield which shattered under the force of the final one. Without missing a beat and acting on intuition he pointed his wand vaguely at Sirius's direction and yelled, _"Contego Talea!" _Before the bright blue spell had left his wand he quickly chained it with a stunning spell.

Sirius's eyes widened as his shield shattered into pieces before his eyes. But he wasn't the dueling champion of Hogwarts for nothing, he fired his own stunning spell straight ahead of him and the two spells collided with a deafening bang and brilliant red sparks. Then he thought, _Incarcerous_. The muffled thud announced that Harry had been unable to block it.

Harry groaned when Sirius strode up to him and muttered the counter curse, freeing him from the ropes that had sprung around him. Taking Sirius's outstretched hand, he allowed himself to be pulled up.

"That was amazing Harry." Sirius grinned. "At this point, I'd say that you just need experience. A more wider collection of spells won't hurt either. But you are definitely more talented than me or James had ever been at your age."

"But I failed again!" Harry moaned.

"Harry, you are doing extremely well. Sirius just happened to be more prepared than you were. If he had fired his spell just a second later, or misaimed it, the victor of this duel will undoubtedly be you." Lupin said with a pleased expression on his face.

"Now I can finally start showing you some of the real stuff Harry. I don't think any of this is in the books I'd gotten you but I think there will be a few in the library's restricted section that explains this in detail. I will talk to Dumbledore and get you permission to borrow some of the books from that I have in mind. But right now, I want you to pay attention." Harry looked at him curiously and nodded. A table appeared in the middle of the room with three chairs around it and they sat down around them.

"Alright Harry, I assume you realize now that you can change your spell? Make it stronger or weaker depending on the situation? Like the way you did with the shield breaking spell. Yours was strong or else it wouldn't have been able to shatter mine. I used the most potent shielding charm there is and you succeeded in breaking it, congratulations." Harry grinned in embarrassment at the praise.

"Now, what you should know is that we have far more control than that over our spells. We can modify them to better suit our needs. Most wizards don't realize this, but we can basically mold our spells into any way…shape and form and even change the effects. For example, take the Cruciatus curse that bastard used on you. If you were exposed to it for longer, the wound would have gone deeper and it would have drawn blood. Voldemort never uses that form although his purpose is more sickening. He couldn't stand having his victims faint from blood loss while he tortured them could he?" Harry shuddered inwardly and felt the ghost of the pain return to him momentarily. Sirius's eyes showed the cold fury emanating from them and he closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them again.

"Let's use something else…take the Patronous charm. You can use it as a quick means of sending messages at times of emergency. The Patronous, if used in that way, will act as a temporary familiar to you. Well, like that, any other spell can be modified in many ways. Watch." Sirius got up and pointed his wand at nothing in particular and murmured, _"Stupefy" _Harry looked on in amazement as a small red light appeared at the end of his wand. It steadily grew larger and larger until it grew to the size of a bludger, glowing red and balanced at the tip of the wand. Sirius smiled and turned the wand upwards so that it looked like he was holding a weird glowing lamp torch and Harry gasped when the glowing red ball started flickering like flames.

"That's amazing!" Harry cried and both Lupin and Sirius grinned at his enthusiasm.

"That's not all, watch." Sirius flicked his wand and the glowing ball disappeared. Again he muttered _"Stupefy"_ and again a glowing red ball appeared. However, this time, the ball left the wand and floated a few feet in front of them. Sirius still had his wand pointed at it and he made the ball float to the middle of the room, away from them.

"_Dispergam"_ The ball instantly burst and small specks of red exploded from within like, like small bullets. They flew out, hitting the book shelf and everywhere else around the room leaving angry marks on anything it made contact with. Harry ducked immediately but found that none of the projectiles even came near them.

"You can control _everything_. Including the direction." Sirius grinned. "How you control it, whether you make it into a scattering spell, or a slow moving blast that pierces through anything it touches…heck, you could even form it into a wall that has the same effects to anything that touches it. That will take a lot of energy, but it is still possible. In short, you can make it into anything your imagination permits, provided that it obeys all the rules of spell casting and all the other boring details. So far I've never had a problem modifying my spells so I don't think it will matter a lot."

"You did fail miserably at trying to create a replica of that girl you had a crush with a massaging charm." Lupin said dryly and Harry looked with great interest at Lupin while Sirius choked.

"What did he do?"

Lupin laughed, ignoring the murderous glare Sirius was giving him. "Don't ask me why Harry, but Sirius here wanted to make a human form of Andria Velin with a massaging charm. He apparently thought he could get it in a way that the human form would massage him instead of the direct way with the spell."

"What happened?" Harry asked, holding back his laughter.

"Oh he created one alright, but just coming into contact with it gave you the most…painful massage ever. You can imagine what happens when your whole body comes into contact with it. It's like casting a Cruciatus curse on yourself. Imagine it coming into contact with your…"

"Moony!" Sirius barked but the damage was done. Both Harry and Lupin were roaring with laughter and it took them some time to quiet down, much to Sirius's displeasure.

"Alright Harry, you'd best get going." Lupin said, getting up.

"Why? I want to get started on that!" Harry said indignantly.

"No, not today. It's too late." Lupin's expression was stern. Sirius and Lupin then bid goodnight to him and they left, leaving Harry to go back to the Gryffindor tower. As he made his way back to the tower his thoughts drifted back to Fleur. He could hardly believe that she had kissed him and he wondered more than once if it had been a dream. He climbed through the portrait hole after distractedly murmuring the password to the Fat Lady. Not even aware of everyone around him, he made his way up to his bed and climbed onto his bed, not even bothering to get undressed. He smiled to himself, finally convincing himself that what had happened was real and before he knew it, had fallen asleep. None of the painful dreams plagued his mind. They were instead, centered around the silver haired witch that he had fallen hard for.

* * *

Fleur was needless to say, the happiest she had ever been. She had no idea what made her do it, but she was very glad she did. It had released a huge weight off her shoulders and it had quelled all her doubts about how he felt. She had been tired of the tip toeing they had been doing around each other. She had no doubt now that Harry liked in the same way she did him. It wasn't like she hadn't known though. Even without Amy, Caroline or Aurélie's constant musings, she knew with the way that Harry acted around her that he was attracted in some way to her.

She sighed happily staring up at the ceiling. The pendant on her necklace had been glowing brilliantly for a while now and it felt warm to touch. Closing her hand around it she smiled softly before turning to her side and closing her eyes, her thoughts drifting to him.

* * *

The next few days leading up to the wand weighing ceremony flew by, to say the least. Harry was disappointed to find that Sirius wouldn't be showing him how to do the stuff that he did until the next week, leaving Harry to brush up on his Occlumency with Lupin which he took with great disappointment. The headaches that followed proved too much and Harry once again spent a few sleepless nights down by the lake practicing in any way he could.

The others were surprised at the way Harry and Fleur now acted around each other. No one failed to notice that the two had gotten a lot more closer to each other overnight. They didn't even notice it but whenever they were together, they both somehow ended up holding hands one with each other. Harry had a feeling from the knowing smirks the others were giving them that they had guessed something was up, or that something had changed between them but neither of them could either confirm it, or deny it.

Neither of them spoke to each other about what happened. Harry didn't mind though, he didn't feel the need to speak to her about it and he was extremely happy with the subtle changes with him and Fleur. He also didn't want to push Fleur into something thereby destroying what they had already. Also, with the first task rapidly approaching, he couldn't afford to distract her and ruin what she had worked for. Little did he know however that she had almost the exact same thoughts running on her mind. Although she had already decided that after the first task would be the perfect time to further what they had now into something more.

Nevertheless, they both spent a lot more time with each other than they did with the others either by the lake or in the library talking about anything that came to mind and listening to the other contently. It didn't take long for Harry to open up to her and confide everything. Far more than what he had shared with Ron and Hermione. Or anyone for that matter; How he was treated by the Dursleys, his first year, and so on. She was heavily distressed with what she heard and had a few tears running down her cheeks by the time he had finished making him guilty for making her cry. Her sorrow transformed into anger after a while and Harry made a mental note to never anger a Veela. Ever. She had been emanating extreme heat and he thought he saw feathers appearing on her skin for a moment.

She in turn confided in him about her life before Beauxbatons and after she entered. He laughed at how she and Aurélie had met but everything else about her life apart from her parents and Gabrielle left him seething with rage. Ever since she had been nine years old and her Veela charms had begun showing themselves, her life had been a lot like Harry's. Separated from the others and alone. Harry soon learnt that what the men at the world cup had attempted to do to her was not the first time that she had narrowly escaped from something like that. During her fourth year in Beauxbatons, a few boys had cornered her and attempted to have their way with her. It was the first time and last time she had fully transformed into her 'other form' as she called it, in order for her to defend herself.

By this time Fleur had been shaking uncontrollably and Harry could see the damage that had been done to her mentally with everything that had happened. He tentatively pulled her into his arms and she buried her face in his chest and they stayed like that for hours, taking comfort in each other's presence. He resolved that if there was anyone else who would even try to harm the woman in his arms in any way, they would suffer slowly and painfully before they were granted their release.

**AN: Sorry about the wait guys, college ended finally about two weeks ago and well, I hadn't had the time to concentrate on this for a while. Finally got it though :)**

**One thing that saddened me a lot was that there were quite a few people who thought that Fleur was some kind of a 'damsel in distress'. To be clear, Fleur is not weak and dependent. She will prove exactly why she was chosen to represent her school. She is only weak with males because…well, I hope I cleared that issue up in this chapter. I never wanted to go into too much detail about that but yeah...like I said, hope that is cleared up now. (She's like, one of my most favorite characters, how could I make her into some weakling? Lol)**

**Please review and let me know what y'all think. Nothing makes me more happy than to see the emails sitting in my inbox :D I appreciate any form of feedback so…go crazy :) **

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks go out to everyone who reviewed and put this on alerts, favs etc. **

**French. Thoughts. Other random stuff. Italics. **

**CHAPTER 7**

Harry glanced at his watch. It's almost time and he didn't want to be late for the wand weighing ceremony. Whatever it was. He nervously put his hand up and stared at Snape while sighing inwardly, cursing his luck for having to ask Snape for permission to be excused from the lesson.

Snape took almost five whole minutes to notice him. By now the whole class was looking at him curiously. He finally looked up from the book that he was focused on at his desk in the front of the class and fixed Harry with the usual loathing look that was reserved just for him.

"Yes Potter?"

"I need to go for the wand weighing ceremony." He said, repaying Snape's look with interest.

"Ah yes…I forgot you are a champion." Snape sneered at him while Malfoy and some of the Slytherins sniggered audibly. "I expect you back here to complete your draught of living death. Champion or not you still have to complete the lessons."

He smirked and opened an empty flask and filled it with the colorless potion in his cauldron. Walking up to the table where Snape was watching him with a growing expression of distaste he set it down in front of him.

"It's done." He turned away quickly, hiding his grin because of the look on Snape's face. Determinedly avoiding the gazes of everyone else, he packed up his things and after clearing his cauldron with a silent vanishing spell, proceeded out of the classroom.

Glancing at his watch again he broke into a run, bolting up the stairs and out of the dungeons. Finally reaching the door to the unused classroom opposite the Great Hall he stopped, catching his breath and glancing at the time. He had about two minutes to spare. Breathing a sigh of relief he pushed the door open and walked inside.

The classroom was huge. Much bigger than any of the other classrooms he had ever been in. The usual desks and chairs were gone and in the middle of the room sat Ollivander who smiled, nodding his head at Harry when he walked in. The headmasters and headmistress were all present with the addition of a rather viscous looking woman with dirty blonde hair who fixed him with a hungry look when his gaze met hers making his skin crawl.

Dumbledore nodded kindly at him and gestured towards the side of the room where Cedric, Krum and Fleur were seated. He noticed that Fleur was scowling at a bald headed man with a camera who couldn't seem to stop looking at her. She turned away from the man and caught sight of him and her expression brightened up considerably as he took his seat beside her. She smiled and slipped her hand in his, pinching it slightly.

"You're late." She said in an accusing voice.

"Sorry, Snape was a pain." He caught Cedric's eye who was looking at him curiously. He looked like he was going to say something but shook his head and turned away with a grin leaving him with a bewildered look. He didn't have time to dwell on it though; Dumbledore cleared his throat at that moment.

"Now that the fourth champion is here, we can get started. Mr. Ollivander?" Dumbledore turned and took his seat with Karkaroff and Madame Maxime on the opposite side of the room with the two remaining people in the room. Ollivander stood up from his place and turned with a warm smile on his face.

"There's nothing to worry about. We're just going to inspect your wands to see if they are in perfect condition. Ladies first…Miss Delacour, if you please?"

Fleur gently pried her hand free from him who blushed, once again not noticing that their hands had been intertwined until she let go. She walked up to Ollivander and placed her wand in his outstretched hand. He examined it closely, murmuring under his breath while twirling the wand between his fingers.

"Hmm…nine and a half inches. Rosewood. And the core is…dear me…a single hair from a Veela?" Fleur grinned.

"From my grandmuzzer." Ollivander looked at the wand in reverence.

"I have never used Veela hair for a core in my wands. Veela hair can only be used as a core for a wand if the wand's master shares a special connection with the Veela, it isn't the most reliable core we could use for our wands." He muttered, more to himself than others. "This is a truly exceptional wand. Especially good for charms."

He took a few more minutes with the wand and finally he murmured, _"Orchideous" _causing a bouquet of flowers to appear from the end of her wand.

"It's in perfect condition, thank you for allowing me to assess your wand Miss Delacour." He said, bowing to her and handing her the wand and the flowers. "Mr. Krum then…"

Krum got up and walked over to Ollivander, with his ever present scowl more pronounced than ever and gave his wand to him. Harry noticed that unlike most normal wands, Krum's was almost black in color and a little thicker than most. Ollivander took a moment with his wand as with Fleur's before speaking.

"Ten and a quarter inches. Hornbeam. Dragon heartstring core?" He asked and Krum nodded silently. "This is a Gregorovitch creation is it not?" He asked again to which Krum nodded again. "Inflexible, suited more for power."

He spent a little bit more time and made a flock of birds burst out from the end of his wand with a bang like a gunshot. Then he handed the wand back to Krum with a satisfied expression, announcing that it was in the best condition again. Cedric went next.

"Ah, now this is one of my own." Ollivander said happily. "It's in fine condition too"

"Polished it last night." Cedric said, grinning sheepishly. Harry glanced down at his wand and noticed that it was covered with fingerprints and small scratches and hastily rubbed it using a handful of his robes causing a brilliant shower of red and green sparks to shoot out from its end. Fleur giggled while the others in the room looked at him in amusement.

"Sorry." Harry said in a small voice. Ollivander returned to examining Cedric's wand, chuckling slightly.

"I remember this clearly, twelve and a half inches. Ash. Containing a single tail hair from a fine male unicorn. Best suited for transfiguration." Cedric nodded in response and Ollivander returned to examining it. He finished his examination faster than the others and gave it back to him after making a fountain of wine shoot from its end, announcing that it was in perfect condition.

Harry got up next and walked towards the ageing man trying to hide his embarrassment from earlier. Ollivander smiled and took his wand from him, his expression transforming instantly.

"How well I remember this wand." Harry nodded, remembering the words Ollivander had spoken to him when he first bought his wand. _It so happens that the phoenix who gave the feather for this wand, gave one other. Just one other. What's curious is that the other feather went to the wand which left you with your scar…_

"Eleven inches. Holly. Containing a single tail feather of a phoenix. Nice and supple…" Ollivander suddenly stopped, looking at his wand curiously. He spent a much longer time with his wand than the others and murmured a spell that surrounded his wand with a sapphire blue glow, a color that Harry found strangely familiar. "Curious…Your wand is in good condition Mr. Potter, but I would like to speak with you if you have time after this?" Harry was slightly taken aback, but nodded all the same.

"Well then I believe we are done here?" Dumbledore asked, looking questioningly at Ollivander who nodded. "Then you are all free to go." He said with a smile towards the champions.

"Not yet Dumbledore! We still haven't gotten pictures of the champions or a back story on them. The Daily Prophet is doing a feature on the Triwizard tournament." The blonde haired witch called. Harry noticed that for a second, he thought he saw a frown on Dumbledore's face before it vanished almost immediately.

"Very well. However, the champions may only be interviewed if they give their consent. Is that clear?" Dumbledore asked sternly. The witch looked like she had been slapped in her face and didn't speak for a few moments. Recomposing herself she smiled coolly.

"Of course." Her sugary sweet voice made a shiver run down his spine, deciding that if he could help it, he was going to stay as far as possible from the witch. The witch immediately fixed her gaze on Harry as soon as Dumbledore turned away from her.

They were all made to stand in the center of the room while the cameraman snapped photo after photo. Harry kept his nails dug deep in his palm, trying hard to keep a smile which was proving difficult as the minutes flew by. He noticed that Fleur, Cedric and even Krum had the same pained looks on their faces. What surprised him the most was that Krum's expression mirrored the others. He'd thought that being an international standard Quidditch player, Krum would be more used to this sort of thing.

After the group photos were over they insisted on taking individual photos of the champions. Fleur was especially displeased by this. The cameraman seemed intent on taking more photos than needed of her, something that Madame Maxime noticed and unceremoniously removed an extremely grateful Fleur from under the scope of the camera. Madame Maxime and Fleur left soon after that. After they were done with the others, the witch walked up to Harry who was waiting for Ollivander who was deep in conversation with Dumbledore.

"Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet. I was wondering if I could get a small interview with you? Nothing much…just a few questions?" She had latched onto his arm by the time she had finished speaking and was pulling him little by little away from the others. He instinctively wrenched his hand free from her grip, none too gently. Something about the woman unnerved him.

"No…I mean. Sorry, I have to speak to Mr. Ollivander." Her smile faltered, however it switched back on so fast that it was scary.

"How about afterwards? We will still be here."

"I have a class afterwards. Sorry." He lied easily, turning away from her before she could speak to him again. He saw that Ollivander and Dumbledore were now waiting for him by the door and thankfully walked up to them.

"We'll continue this discussion in my study if it's alright with you Mr. Ollivander? And Harry of course." Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling at Harry who nodded and followed him and Ollivander up the stairs to Dumbledore's study. They reached the stone gargoyles who leapt aside to grant them entrance when Dumbledore said clearly, "Fizzing Whizbee."

Once inside, Dumbledore waved his wand and caused three chairs to appear at the middle of the room where he gestured to Harry and Ollivander to take their seats. Once Harry sat down he heard a soft musical cry and seconds later, a slight weight on his shoulder. He looked at his side to find Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix perched on his shoulder. Fawkes proceeded to rub its head affectionately against Harry's cheek which brought a smile to his lips.

"Hey Fawkes." He murmured, stroking his beautiful red and gold feathers. The phoenix trilled happily and closed its eyes. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Seems like you're going to have to be the one to take care of Fawkes once I'm gone Harry." Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"I don't know sir, Hedwig might get a little jealous." He said grinning slightly. Then he looked at Ollivander, "Is there anything wrong with my wand or something Mr. Ollivander?"

"Yes, well…it's nothing serious. Some rather interesting things came up while I was examining your wand Mr. Potter. If I may?" He asked, leaning forward and stretching out his hand. Harry understood and gave him his wand. He murmured a few strange words and once again the wand was surrounded with a beautiful blue glow before it changed to a fiery red color. Ollivander nodded absentmindedly while Harry and Dumbledore looked on curiously.

"As I always say to everyone that first comes to my shop to purchase their wands, it is not the witch or wizard that chooses the wand, it is the wand that chooses its master. The wand mirrors its master's growth. When the master's potential increases, so does the wand. In other words, the wand is only as powerful as the wizard who uses it." Ollivander flicked Harry's wand making the glow fade away and gave it back to him.

"Even for those of us who have devoted our lives to studying and researching wand lore, there are still many questions which we aren't even close to answering. What does the wand look for in its master? What makes it different? Wands have many different traits as you would have noticed when I was examining the other champion's wands. Miss Delacour's wand makes any charms she casts much more potent that only a few others can hope to match. Mr. Krum's wand has a bit more power behind it, just like many of Gregorovitch's creations. Mr. Diggory's wand makes for easier transfigurations. The wand…mirrors its owner's strong points in other words" Harry nodded, although he still didn't have the faintest clue where this discussion was headed.

"Now your wand Mr. Potter, is one of the most unique wands I had ever forged. Unusual combination, I remember thinking to myself on the day I finished it that I would be lucky to see its master in my lifetime. There are a few problems that rose when I examined it though." Ollivander paused for a little and seemed to be deep in thought.

"The core of the wand. Whether it be a Dragon heartstring, hair from a unicorn or the feather from a phoenix determines the strength of the connection between you and your wand. It also plays a major role in the results you can achieve with your wand. When I examined your wand Mr. Potter, it seems that the connection you have with your wand is somewhat lacking. There is room for improvement. A lot of room actually." Harry tilted his head sideways in confusion.

"What do you mean sir?"

"It means that with the current pace, your wand will not be able to keep up with your development. It's like how you will never receive the best results with someone else's wand. Your wand will eventually fall behind you. The connection you have with your wand is already fully developed and yet it feels…inadequate."

"What do you propose then Garrick?" Dumbledore asked. Harry wondered for a second who he was speaking to, then realized that he was using Ollivander's first name.

"While this is an extremely rare situation, it is not unheard of. Throughout the history of wand lore, there have been many recordings of such things happening. The problem can be solved by finding a second core to function hand in hand with the original. However, this can be quite difficult to find as it is extremely difficult to find another core for a wizard. There are still certain clues that can show us what to look for though. Mr. Potter, if I could have your wand back again?" Harry gave Ollivander back his wand.

Ollivander once again murmured something and Harry's wand glowed a fiery red. "This is your…affinity if you will. This shows your current bond the phoenix feather core. Which incidentally came from the very same phoenix on your shoulder." He added, nodding towards Fawkes who was still perched on Harry's shoulder.

"My wand's core came from Fawkes?" Harry asked in amazement.

"Yes." Dumbledore nodded, smiling while Fawkes trilled happily.

"And this…" The wand glowed blue. "Is your second affinity. I do have certain ideas as to what the core might be, but it is only an assumption so I need to do more research before I can give you an answer Mr. Potter. It is also only going to get harder to find your second core if my assumptions are correct. Your wand will serve you well for the time being. However I must ask that you come back to my shop after this tournament ends. We will have to figure out some way to solve this problem." Harry nodded and took his wand back. Dumbledore and Ollivander both stood up and Harry followed suit.

"I was right when I said we should expect great things from you Mr. Potter." Ollivander said with a smile.

* * *

Later that evening after an early supper found Harry, Fleur and the others sitting in what was now their favorite spot in the Hogwarts grounds, next to the lake where he usually practiced at night. The girls were amusing themselves by throwing the remnants of their food towards the lake which kept vanishing within seconds under a large tentacle.

"So, what do you think the first task is going be?" Caroline asked, sitting down in front of Harry and Fleur who were propped up against the tree, talking quietly.

"It can't be anyzing too dangerous right? I mean, zey 'ave to consider zat 'Arry is competing too now." Aurélie said anxiously, joining them with Amy. Harry grinned at the blue haired witch. She had been a lot more protective of him ever since the day his name came out of the goblet.

"All I have to do is survive whatever it is right?" He said, earning him a painful knock on his head from Aurélie and a hard jab from Fleur's elbow at his side simultaneously. He winced, rubbing his head with one hand and crouching low to minimize the pain at his side. "Forget the tasks, you two are going to force me out of them if you carry on like this."

"Don't go giving us ideas now. It actually sounds pretty good to me." Caroline said with a sinister smile on her face.

"Serves you right, don't go around saying zings like zat 'Arry." Fleur said reproachfully. While Aurélie glared at him. Harry gulped under their gazes and nodded.

"What? Are we that scary?" Caroline asked with a smile.

"You have no idea" He muttered making them laugh.

"But seriously, I can't believe zey're not giving _any _information about ze first task. I zink zis is ze first time zey're doing something like zis, considering ze past tournaments." Amy said thoughtfully.

"It can't be anything too bad then. They don't really expect you to face off against something you've never seen before." Caroline's voice carried a strain of doubt though. Everyone fell silent, watching the Giant Squid float lazily across the lake while Fleur leaned against his shoulder. They spent the next hour talking about whatever that came to mind, occasionally laughing as the witches recounted some of their experiences in Beauxbatons. Harry closed his eyes, enjoying the sense of peace that had settled over them, wishing they could stay like this for as long as they wanted.

"'Arry?"

"Hm?" He opened one eye lazily to look at Fleur. Looking around he grinned when he saw that Aurélie had fallen asleep beside him. Caroline and Amy were already standing up, stretching their arms and from the tired looks on their faces, they looked like they were only just waking up too.

"'Arry, we're going back to ze carriage, I need to send a letter to my parents." Fleur said, getting to her feet.

"Yeah, and we're going to take a shower before dinner." Caroline added, stifling a yawn. Harry nodded and looked at Aurélie who still hadn't woken up.

"What about her?" He asked.

"Let her sleep, she's been a little too busy with school work. Besides, you will be here till we get back right?" Caroline asked. Harry nodded. He had no wish to stay in the castle unless absolutely necessary. Sirius and Lupin weren't going to be able to have their usual lessons with him today either, they both apparently had something to do.

"Oh and Harry? Try to control yourself, I know she's sleeping but it might make her unhappy if you try anything." Caroline said playfully. It took Harry a few seconds to get what she was talking about and blushed crimson.

"W…what? I'd never do something like that!" He yelped while the three of them burst out laughing.

"Calm down." Caroline choked out in between her laughter. "Aww look at you, you look so cute when you start blushing like that." Making him squirm uncomfortably.

"Come on" Fleur said, dragging Caroline by the arm although she too had a hard time controlling her laughter at his expression. "We'll be back soon 'Arry!"

He watched them go, sighing in relief and leaning comfortably against the tree. They always brightened him up one way or the other and he was really thankful for that. He still had no idea what he was going to do when they all left at the end of the year. They had gotten so close together that he felt like he'd known them for years.

He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when he remembered the feel of Fleur's lips on his just a few days ago and how their behavior towards each other had changed after that. The contact had been far too short for his liking and more than once he wished they could repeat it. He had no idea where they stood now, but he didn't care. The closeness he shared with her was more than enough for him, for now at least.

Nothing that went on in Hogwarts bothered him the slightest. Malfoy and by now, more than half of the school were sporting badges which kept changing between _'Support Cedric Diggory, the real Hogwarts Champion!' _and _'Potter Stinks'_. Dumbledore hadn't made an announcement about the reason why he was competing but he didn't care. Besides, he highly doubted that the people would take Dumbledore's word anyway. Most of them felt that he was trying to take away the Hufflepuff's glory and they were also angry that he was now a champion.

Harry had once seen Cedric angrily asking some of the students to stop wearing the badges, something which made him a little happy. Most of the Hufflepuff's had since stopped wearing the badges afterwards but they were still acting coldly towards him.

He chuckled softly when he remembered the twins replacing a box of badges that Malfoy was giving out with a batch of their own which gave the people who started wearing the badges a nasty surprise when they found that the previous words vanished, replaced by _"I am an ass kisser" _and to add to the hilarity, a permanent sticking charm placed on them.

Fleur and the others had been furious when they had first seen the badges. It had taken a lot of convincing from Harry to calm them down. Although just a day after Malfoy had started giving out the badges, he turned up in the Hospital Wing with warts growing all over his body. Something that he suspected Caroline or the twins had a hand in, although they never confirmed it.

"What are you grinning about?" A soft voice broke the silence. He turned to see Aurélie opening her eyes and stifling a yawn.

"Nothing" Harry replied, grinning at her. She looked around, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Where are ze others?"

"They'll be back; it's almost time for dinner." He said, glancing at his watch.

"They could 'ave woken me up!" She said indignantly. He looked at her with a mock hurt expression.

"Am I really that bad company?" She smiled warmly at him.

"No." The two lapsed into comfortable silence. "'Arry? Can I ask you somezing?" She asked after a few moments. He looked at her curiously.

"Sure."

"Is zere anyzing going on wiz you and Fleur?" His heart raced at her question and he looked away. He knew that they had noticed the change in their behavior over the past few days, but he had no idea how to respond to the question. He remained silent for a long time, thinking how best to answer her question.

"I don't know really know Aurélie." He said truthfully. Neither he, nor Fleur had talked to each other about what had happened after all. She seemed satisfied with his answer though.

"Do you like 'er?" She asked. Harry knew there was no point denying it now. Looking away from under her gaze he nodded, feeling the color rise in his cheeks.

"Yes" Harry said quietly. Aurélie suddenly laughed and he looked up at her with a mixture of embarrassment and curiosity.

She smirked, shaking her head at his questioning gaze. "Come wiz me." She said, getting to her feet and holding out her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to ze carriage, I need to get changed before we go for dinner. You're not going to let me walk back zere alone are you?" She asked playfully. Harry smirked, taking her hand and getting to his feet. Together, they made their way towards the carriage and Harry caught sight of a massive figure next to Hagrid's hut.

"Hagrid!" He shouted, waving at him.

"Harry! Good to see yeh, bin meaning to talk to yeh." Hagrid said with a smile as they drew nearer. "An' who migh' this be?" Harry had already introduced Hagrid to Fleur when they had run into him a week ago.

"This is Aurélie Belcourt, and Aurélie, this is Hagrid. He's the Care of Magical Creatures teacher." Hagrid seemed to swell with pride at being introduced as a teacher.

"A pleazure to meet you Monsieur 'Agrid" She said, shaking Hagrid's enormous hand. "I'll come with ze ozzers 'Arry." She added to Harry, and after exchanging a few words with Hagrid, she went up to the carriage a few feet away from them and disappeared inside it.

"Another one huh? Yeh have come a long way from the little firs' year back then." Hagrid remarked with a grin making Harry groan.

"She's only a friend." He mumbled.

"Yeh sure?" Hagrid had a slight twinkle in his eye. "No need to look like that!" He added when Harry glared at him. "An' before I forget, come down around eleven at night, got something to show yeh." Harry stopped glaring at him and instead looked on apprehensively.

"Why so late?"

"I'll explain when we get there. Make sure you bring your cloak with yeh a'righ?" He frowned. Hagrid usually wouldn't be asking him to come out of the castle, breaking the curfew unless it was something important.

"Alright, I'll be there."

"An' there's another thing too. Where are Ron an' Hermione? I haven't seen the three of yeh together at all. Even when I put yeh three to work in groups yeh hardly speak with each other anymore." Harry sighed, he honestly didn't want to talk about them anymore.

"We kind of fell apart." He said after a few moments. Hagrid stared at him.

"What happened?" He asked curiously. After debating for a moment whether or not to tell him, he decided to just get it out. He didn't go into too much detail but gave Hagrid a brief rundown of everything that happened between them.

"They didn'" Hagrid growled, by the time he had finished explaining.

"It doesn't matter." He said with a slight note of sadness in his voice.

"Hermione, I always thought she had her heart in the righ' place." Hagrid muttered, shaking his head. "They will realize how wrong they were Harry, I've seen yeh down there by the lake sometimes at night. We're all proud of yeh, Dumbledore an' the other professors speak most highly of yeh Harry. Don' let them get yeh down." Harry managed a small smile at his words.

The carriage door opened and Fleur and the others stepped out. Once they reached Harry he introduced Amy and Caroline to Hagrid too. Afterwards the five of them walked back into the castle for dinner. Hagrid said that he wanted to feed the horses before he came. Inside the Great Hall they were greeted by the twins and the French wizards along with the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and the rest of dinner was spent in laughter and general speculation about the tournament.

None of the Beauxbatons students resented Harry for being a champion which made him happy. They were however, stealing glances at him and Fleur with smirks on their faces. He had a slight suspicion that someone had tipped them off about the recent changes. Now though, they looked like they had received confirmation to their musings. Not that they should be surprised though.

Fleur who was sitting next to Harry had once again taken his hand after the food was cleared while they were just sitting around, talking to which he responded by edging closer to her, allowing her to lean her head on his shoulder again. He honestly had no idea why she kept doing it but he loved feeling her so close to him. However he did feel like they were on exhibition as he felt stares burn into him from all directions. Fleur didn't seem to mind it at all so he pushed thoughts about everyone else out of his mind and instead relaxed into the feeling of her beside him.

After more than half of the people in the hall had emptied out they decided to call it a night to get an early rest. Once the others had stepped outside Fleur gave him a quick good night kiss on his cheek before following after the other Beauxbatons students leaving him frozen on the spot for a few seconds. Unfortunately for him though, one of the twins had spotted the little exchange while they were waiting for him. They teased him all the way up to the Gryffindor tower resulting in him blushing furiously enough to make some of the others look at him in concern, thinking that he was feverish while the twins were roaring in laughter.

Eager to get away from the twins he went straight up to dormitories and stuffed his cloak in his bag before heading outside again, saying that he had to go see Professor Dumbledore for something. Once outside he threw on his cloak and walked down the familiar pathway to the secret passageway which led to the grounds. Once outside he decided to take a walk along the edge of the lake, seeing as it was still about an hour before he was supposed to meet with Hagrid.

When it was time, he walked up to Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door. After a few seconds it opened, revealing his massive form.

"Harry?" He pulled off his cloak and Hagrid smiled in relief.

"Good, now throw yer cloak back on, we've got someone else comin'. An' make sure yeh stay hidden. Follow me now." He sounded excited for some reason and Harry couldn't help but feel nervous. The only times he had ever seen Hagrid this excited was when talking about some extremely rare or dangerous magical creature. Nevertheless, he nodded and threw his cloak back on after petting Fang who bounded up to him whining slightly.

Hagrid stepped outside with his crossbow and a lantern in one hand. Harry felt his heart sink as he realized that they were going to be heading into the Forbidden Forest. He had ventured in there in both his first and second year and if he had a choice, had no wish to do so again.

He watched curiously while Hagrid strode up to the Beauxbatons carriage and softly knocked on the door which opened after a while to reveal Madame Maxime.

"Bonsoir Madame" Hagrid said, bowing and offering his arm.

"Monsieur 'Agrid. You said you 'ave somezing to show me?" She asked, taking his hand.

"O' course. Shall we?" She smiled in response and together they set off towards the forest leaving a slightly annoyed Harry trailing behind them.

As they walked in deeper through the forest Harry was beginning to feel irritated. Hagrid and Madame Maxime were talking in quietly in front of him and so far he had received no indication of where they were heading. Everything was pitch black around him, the only light coming from Hagrid's lantern.

They had been walking for about half an hour and he was wondering why they hadn't run into any centaurs yet, or even some Aragog's (the monstrous spider that resided in the forest) children. Hagrid hadn't so much as looked behind him and was instead focused on Madame Maxime and he was just thinking about turning around and heading back to the castle when a distant roar sounded. In his past excursions into the forest he had never heard anything like it before and intrigued, picked up his pace and followed Hagrid who seemed to be walking in the direction of the sound.

A small light came into his sight in the distance which grew larger and larger with every step he took. The roars were getting louder and finally they reached a well-lit, huge enclosed area where he saw hundreds of wizards with their wands out and groups of them tending to four large cages. What was inside them froze Harry in place. Hagrid laughed and tugged Madame Maxime closer who had her hands on her mouth.

Dragons. Four full grown vicious Dragons. There was a red, almost twenty five feet tall that had scarlet flames spewing out of its maw. A green, slightly shorter Dragon that was growling at the fifty or so wizards that were surrounding its cage. Another silvery-blue Dragon that was almost as huge as the red one that was slumped forward in its cage, with its eyes closed. From the looks of it, the wizards that were around the cage had stunned it.

The Dragon in the cage nearest to them made Harry take an involuntary step backwards even though he knew they were nowhere near it. It was an inky black and was far larger than any of the rest. It was snarling and even as he watched about fifty stunning spells slammed into it. It got further enraged and roared, bright orange flames erupting from its maw.

"Over here! We need help with this one!" A wizard near it shouted and the group nearest to them moved to their aid.

"Together!" Another one shouted and Harry watched as nearly double the number of stunning spells shot towards it. It roared again however that seemed to do the trick as it slumped forward, growling softly.

Hagrid seemed almost transfixed by it and edged closer to it as Madame Maxime followed, wide eyed. One of the wizards noticed him and came up to him. Harry almost greeted him stupidly before realizing he wasn't supposed to be here. It didn't take long for him to realize that he had just found what they were going to be facing for the first task. Why else would they be keeping Dragons in the forests?

"Hagrid…I knew we wouldn't be able to keep you away from you." Charlie Weasley said with a small grin as he walked up to him.

"Which one is it you've got here?" Hagrid asked, nodding towards the black Dragon that was still growling.

"Hungarian Horntail." Charlie grimaced. "I have no idea what they were thinking when they shipped this one here. It's the most vicious Dragon we got back in the reserve. My prayers go out to the champion that ends up having to face this one." Hagrid moved closer to it while Madame Maxime stood back.

"Wha' other breeds you got there?" Hagrid asked reverently looking at the other Dragons.

"The red one is the Chinese Fireball, green is the Common Welsh Green and the blue is the Swedish Short Snout." Charlie explained, gesturing at each of the Dragons in turn. He broke off and stared at Madame Maxime who was watching each of the Dragons transfixed.

"Hagrid…why did you bring her?" Charlie asked quietly.

"Eh?" He was too busy staring at the Dragon.

"Won't she be telling her champion now?" Hagrid didn't seem to be able to register the question. Charlie sighed. "How's Harry?"

"He's fine." Hagrid replied. Charlie ran his hand over his hair.

"Mom doesn't know what they're going to have to face for the first task. She's already worrying herself hoarse over him. I already wrote to Ron telling him about the Dragons, hopefully he would have told Harry about it. He's going to need all the help he can get if he is to survive this." Charlie shook his head. "And they said they were making it safer…"

Harry clenched his fists in anger at the mention of Ron and turned around. Hagrid probably wouldn't notice his absence. As he made his way back out to the castle he caught sight of Karkaroff heading in the opposite direction. This confirmed it, now Krum and Fleur would know what they were going to be facing too. He needed to find Cedric and let him know about the Dragons. He wasn't going to let him walk in there unprepared.

His mind was panicked as he walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower, how was he going to get past a Dragon? He had witnessed firsthand how many people it took to stun a Dragon. After quietly muttering the password to the Fat Lady who looked in surprise at him but swung forwards, admitting him in. He slumped onto one of the armchairs next to the dying fire and tried to calm his mind. There had to be a way to best a Dragon, they wouldn't give them a task that was impossible to do would they?

He was far too jumpy to sleep now. Getting up again he went up to the dormitories and stuffed his books inside his bag before heading outside again, ignoring the Fat Lady's protests. Once again covering himself with his cloak and after carefully studying the Marauder's map, he went down to the library. Walking to the aisle entitled 'Magical Creatures', he walked up to the part with Dragons and pulled out all the books he could find on them. Settling himself on the floor and lighting his wand while checking constantly on the Marauder's map to see if anyone was approaching, he carefully went through the books, hoping to find something. Anything that would give him a way to face a dragon.

* * *

"Harry, you look terrible." Katie said worriedly when he walked into the Great Hall for breakfast. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Nothing in the books he read gave any clue for a possible weak point on a Dragon. Indeed, none of the books gave specific directions as to how a single wizard could face off against a Dragon.

"It's nothing." Harry mumbled, painfully aware of how low his voice sounded. She glanced at him in concern as did the others. If he wasn't feeling so nervous, he would have laughed at the worried looks the twins were giving him. It was so out of character for them.

He ate silently, occasionally joining in on the other's conversations to ease their worries. Once he had finished eating he was just thinking about going back to the library as he had a free period to do some more research when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around to find Fleur, her face etched with worry.

"'Arry, come wiz me." She said quietly. Once he got up she gripped his hand tightly and walked outside, to their spot near the lake. "'Arry, for ze first task we…"

"Dragons." Harry interrupted quietly. She looked at him in shock. "I know Fleur, Hagrid showed them to me last night."

"Oh…Madame Maxime told me in ze morning." Harry smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently.

"Thanks for telling me anyway."

"It's nozzing, I know you would 'ave told me if you found out sooner." They gazed at the lake for a few minutes. She looked worried and he noticed that she made several attempts to speak. Finally after a few minutes had passed he leaned onto her, gently nudging her side. They had by now seated themselves in front of the tree as they always did.

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly. She turned to look at him, half her silvery white hair covering her face. Harry was once again struck by how beautiful she looked and his heart gave an almost painful lurch while he forced himself to not look away.

"A Dragon 'Arry. Even I don't know 'ow to do this. Madame Maxime is going to 'elp me prepare but even she is worried." She fell silent and Harry waited patiently for her to go on. "I'm worried about you." She added in a voice barely above a whisper.

He felt an odd feeling of happiness spread through him at her words. A part of him was angry at himself for being the cause of her worry though.

"We'll find a way past this. I'll also have some help too, so don't worry." He did after all have Sirius and Lupin to ask for advice. She leaned her head on his shoulder and didn't say anything for a while.

"If you need 'elp wiz anyzing you will ask me right?" She murmured.

"Of course, and if you need anything too…well…I don't know how much help I will be but you can ask me too." She nodded and gave him a small smile. The two spent the rest of their time together in silence, taking comfort in each other's presence.

* * *

Harry had no idea how he got through his lessons that day. He wasn't able to concentrate on any of the classes properly although none of the professors commented on it. Some of the professors, even McGonagall with the sole exception of Snape excused him from all his homework for the upcoming week as the first task was only ten days away, counting the weekend.

When his final lesson for the morning ended, he quickly made his way towards the school courtyard. He didn't think that Cedric had any idea about the Dragons yet. Spotting him at a corner with Cho Chang and some of his friends Harry walked swiftly towards them.

"Hey Cedric? Can I speak to you for a moment?" He asked, ignoring the glares from the Hufflepuff's that were accompanying him.

"Sure Harry." He replied and walked with him to the side with a curious expression. As soon as they were out of earshot of the others, Harry spoke.

"Dragons. That's the first task." Cedric's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?"

"Dragons." He repeated. "They've got one for each of us."

"You sure?"

"Positive. I've seen them. Fleur and Krum know about them too." Cedric nodded absentmindedly.

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry stared at him in shock. "We're competing aren't we?"

"Do you think I care about this competition at all?" He hissed angrily. He could feel his temper rising. His head was filled with worry about the first task and how they were going to get past it and here Cedric was asking stupid questions.

"Right." He said sheepishly. He nodded and turned to leave when Cedric grabbed his shoulder.

"Thanks a lot Harry." He managed a small smile at this.

"Anytime." Cedric turned and made his way back to his friends and he turned away, intending to return to the castle. He didn't get very far when a voice he recognized only too well called out to him.

"Hey! Champion Potter!" Harry stifled a groan and turned a wary eye on Malfoy, fighting the impulse to curse him on the spot. He had caught the attention of everyone in the courtyard and they were all looking eagerly at Harry and Malfoy, waiting for something to happen.

"My father told me about what's going to be on the first task." He said proudly. "Perhaps if you ask me nicely I might consider telling you what it is."

"Not interested." Harry muttered and made to continue walking back to the castle when Malfoy's voice rang out again.

"My father made a bet with me you see. He thinks you wouldn't last more than five minutes in the first task. I said you wouldn't last longer than a minute."

"And I should care because?" Harry asked, turning towards Malfoy. "I'm not interested in the pathetic methods you and your father use to amuse yourselves. Didn't you two have enough fun in the World Cup with those people?" It didn't take long for most of the students around them to guess what Harry was talking about and he heard many of them gasp.

"Exactly what are you insinuating Potter?" Malfoy snarled while Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles with menacing looks on their faces.

"Exactly what I said." He replied wryly and turned away. All it took was the look of surprise on the people in front of him to tell him what was coming when he nimbly sidestepped, narrowly missing the jet of orange light that flew past his side, while some of the students shrieked and jumped out of the way. Harry had his wand the next second and with a silent binding spell, had Malfoy bound and gagged in ropes.

Faster than the students could even see, jets of red light flew out of Harry's wand, slamming into both Crabbe and Goyle, knocking them out instantly. Harry turned and walked up to the three unmoving figures on the ground, with Malfoy staring up at him. Fear evident in his eyes.

"Didn't anybody tell you its bad manners to attack someone who has their back turned?" He asked quietly, although his voice carried to everyone in the courtyard in the silence. With a wave of his wand the gag fell off, letting him breathe. No matter how much Harry hated him, he wasn't going to let him suffocate. Malfoy's eyes widened as he stared past Harry at someone behind him.

"Professor! Potter attacked me sir I…"

"I was watching Mr. Malfoy." A voice growled. Harry looked around to see it was Professor Moody. "I will be reporting your actions to your head of house about the cowardly way you attempted to attack Mr. Potter."

"A job well done on the other hand Mr. Potter." He said to Harry and he could have sworn he saw a smile forming on his scarred face. "Run along now, I'll take care of these three."

"Yes sir." Harry said quickly, placing his wand back inside his pocket and moving back up to the castle. Most of the students cleared the way for him, staring at him in amazement. Harry sighed, making a mental note to avoid giving such displays in the future. After dueling with Sirius for so long, everyone else seemed to be pathetically weak.

Seeing that it was almost time for lunch Harry went to the Great Hall where he was pleased to find Fleur and the others were already seated. After slipping into the seat beside Fleur they began to eat.

"That was brilliant Harry!" Fred said loudly, coming up from behind them.

"Seriously Harry, we saw the whole thing! Malfoy never knew what hit him." George agreed. Harry laughed in response.

"Oh? This seems interesting. What happened?" Caroline asked, looking from the twins to Harry.

Before Harry could explain, the twins told them exactly what happened, recounting everything that had happened, not leaving anything out. Neither of them bothered to keep their voices low, resulting in them attracting quite a few glares from the Slytherin table. Harry caught sight of Daphne though who grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"Wish I could have seen that." Angelina said with a broad grin. By now the Gryffindor chasers and Jean and Basile had joined them too.

"Zat pig, you should 'ave done somezing more than just leave 'im like zat 'Arry." Aurélie remarked. Once they had finished eating, the group dispersed. Harry had a free period again before History of Magic, which he was planning on skipping anyway. Harry and Fleur decided to use the time to search around in the library. Although they were going to be competing, despite Harry's protests, Fleur and the others were adamant about helping him.

After spending more than three hours in the library which proved utterly fruitless, the French witches had to leave for their lessons. Harry too left for Charms, which was to be his final lesson for the day. After the lesson, Harry met with the others and they once again spent as much time as they could in the library before dinner, hoping to find something.

After an early dinner, Harry rushed upstairs to the Room of Requirement.

"Harry!" Sirius greeted him as soon as he stepped inside. From the worried looks on his and Lupin's faces Harry deduced that they probably knew.

"You know about the first task?" He asked. Lupin nodded.

"Yes Harry, Dumbledore let us know yesterday."

"Dragons, what is the old fool thinking? Letting Harry into something like this." Sirius growled. Harry sat down in the arm chair next to the fire and looked helplessly at his godfather and Lupin.

"What am I going to do? I've probably read up on all the books in the library about Dragons. There's no clue on how to beat them." He asked quietly.

"It's not impossible. There are a few ways." Lupin said gently.

"The simplest way is the Conjunctivitus curse. It's a little difficult to pull off since you have to aim right at the Dragon's eye. The eye is the weakest point on a Dragon Harry." Sirius added at Harry's questioning look. "We will practice that curse in addition to a few others that I have in mind. Don't put too much faith in just one spell though. We have no idea exactly what you're going to have to do against it and its better to have a few methods to try in case one fails."

"Not to mention that you will have to be careful while approaching it. Its sheer lunacy to go head to head against a Dragon." Lupin added.

"Do you think I could do it?" Harry asked.

"We have seen how much you have accomplished since we began training you. Right now you are the most threatening to the Dragon you will face than the others. The years of education doesn't matter. You yourself are proof of that." Sirius said proudly making him smile in embarrassment. "We still have ten days until the task. We will use all the time we have for you to learn everything you need. I had been planning on teaching you this stuff anyway." Sirius added as an afterthought.

* * *

Lupin stopped teaching him Occlumency as the week wore on. Sirius also broke away from the teaching him the usual things which disappointed Harry slightly because he had been looking forward to learning how to do what Sirius had shown him the week before with the stunning spell. It was only a small part of him that was disappointed though, the new spells and the advice he was getting from Sirius and Lupin proved to be valuable for the upcoming task, reducing his earlier panic somewhat.

He mastered the Conjunctivitus curse within three days, a feat which impressed both Sirius and Lupin greatly. It seemed that Harry's nerves were a great motivator. Apart from it, Harry spent a lot of time with various other spells designed to distract. Something which he knew would prove useful in order for him to get a clear shot at the Dragon's eye. A part of him was a little reluctant about using the curse on the Dragon's eye though. With the description given of the spell, it would surely blind the Dragon and cause it great pain.

Another spell that caught Harry's eye was the shackling curse. It was one of the more advanced spells like the shield breaking charm. As far as the book's descriptions went, that curse had the capabilities of immobilizing virtually anything it landed on. As a side note it was mentioned that it was used to great effect during the past war between the wizards and the giants.

Harry tried it once a few days later while practicing at night, the drain it caused him rendered him immobile for hours and he had to drag himself up to the hospital wing where he was reprimanded by Poppy. Both Sirius and Lupin had been furious with him when they found out that he had spent a few hours in the hospital wing due to core draining again. Thankfully this time around though, Harry hadn't unknowingly poured everything he had into the spell like the last time so he managed to recover within a day.

Both his godfather and Lupin's anger paled in comparison with Fleur's. He truly believed he wasn't going to make it out alive once she had started advancing on him while he was lying helplessly on the bed in the hospital wing. After yelling at him for almost the whole floor to hear for being reckless, she had proceeded to stay with him for the entire time, disregarding everything else and making sure he stayed in bed. He wasn't allowed to move an inch under her gaze and had no choice but to squirm helplessly under the combined glares of her and the others.

As the date of the first task drew nearer, Fleur, Krum and Cedric were beginning to show their strain too. Krum looked surlier than usual and all four of the champions showed signs of spending multiple sleepless nights. Fleur had been pleased to find out that Harry had a plan on what he was going to do. Harry on the other hand couldn't stop worrying about her. She looked like she was having a little trouble with whatever she was working on although she always smiled and declined his offers to help her, saying that everything was going well.

One the day before the first task, the last day of the weekend, the others cornered both Harry and Fleur at breakfast and marched them straight out of Hogwarts, along the familiar path to Hogsmeade, ignoring their protests.

"You both have prepared enough." Caroline said firmly.

"Yeah, use this time to relax." Fred added. What they said was true enough. Neither Harry nor Fleur had anything more to work on other than brooding over tomorrow. Neither of them had taken more than a few minutes to relax over the past week. Smiling resignedly at each other they trailed after the others, forcing themselves to relax, putting the upcoming task out of their minds for this one day.

Sirius and Lupin both promised him that night that they will be watching and cheering him on, although Sirius would have to be there in his Animagus form. Nevertheless, he was grateful that they would be there.

* * *

Harry forced himself to sleep that night, succeeding in getting only a few hours of sleep in. The rest of the time he kept going over what he had learnt and imagining situations on how best he could use it while staring up at the roof of his bed. At the crack of dawn he silently got up and dressed in his school robes and made his way out of the portrait hole.

"Good luck!" The Fat Lady called and he managed a pained smile at her. His nerves were almost stretched to the breaking point.

He sat down alone in the Great Hall, after a while he was joined by Fleur and the others. The terrified looks on the witches did nothing to calm Harry or Fleur, even Caroline who normally had a smile on her face looked worried. Soon the other students started coming in. After the Great Hall was filled, the food appeared on the plates in front of them. None of them seemed to have an appetite although the others kept trying to force them to eat. When it was almost time, Dumbledore stood up.

"It is time. Best of luck to the four champions." The four of them rose from their seats to loud cheers and filed out into the Entrance Hall where they were joined by Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, Madame Maxime and Kakaroff.

"This way." Dumbledore smiled at them. Harry and the others followed after them outside to the grounds. In the distance there was a large enclosed structure which looked like a smaller version of the stadium in the World Cup. Once they reached it, they were directed into a changing room where they had to change into the robes provided for them.

They were almost the same as the normal robes they wore for Quidditch although they had protective gloves which matched the color of their robes. Krum's robes was fully red, Fleur's was a mixture of blue and silver, Cedric's was black and yellow and Harry's was full black. The robes carried the insignia of the wearer's school although Harry's didn't have one. Once they were dressed they ducked into a tent which had four bunk beds. After a while the tent flap opened and Bagman, Crouch, Madame Maxime, Karkaroff and Dumbledore strode in. Bagman was carrying a small pouch which was smoking slightly.

"Are we all here? Excellent." Bagman cried happily. "On to business then, Ladies first." He said, offering the pouch to Fleur who looked at it apprehensively before putting her hand in. She drew out a tiny model of a green Dragon with the number '2' tied around its neck which squeaked and a bit of fire escaped its maw. It was the Common Welsh Green. She just stared at it while Madame Maxime placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

Krum went next, he drew out the Chinese Fireball. The fiery red Dragon snarled softly at him, it had the number '3' tied on it. He made no visible change in expressions and just glared stonily at it.

Cedric drew out the Swedish Short Snout which had the number '1' on it. He paled slightly as he was going first but other than that he maintained his stony look.

Harry groaned inwardly, cursing his luck. There was only 1 Dragon remaining. Putting his hand in the still smoking bag he felt a sharp pain on his finger. He grabbed the small black Dragon which bared its minuscule fangs at him and spread out its wings. It had the number '4' tied around it.

"Now that all the champions know which Dragon they're going to face…your task it to collect the golden egg!" Bagman exclaimed dramatically. "Each of the Dragons have a single golden egg in their nests along with some other eggs. It will be doing its best to protect them and your task is to get the golden egg by using any means necessary. Any questions?" No one spoke and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Now, when the cannon sounds Mr. Diggory, you will walk through that door over there which will take you to your Dragon. Next is Miss Delacour, followed by Mr. Krum and Mr. Potter. The task will begin in a couple of minutes so prepare yourself as best you can. Best of luck to you all." Bagman said before exiting the tent. After a few words with their respective champions, the headmasters and headmistress too left the tent. Harry thought that Dumbledore looked worried for a second when he wished him luck but thought that he had only imagined it.

They waited in silence while sounds of students laughing and talking became apparent as they took their seats in the stadium. After quietly wishing Cedric good luck he moved next to Fleur and took her hand.

"'Arry" She murmured, gripping his hand tightly. He tried and failed to smile at her.

"We'll be fine. Do your best and be careful" He whispered. She put her hand on his cheek, gently stroking it with her thumb.

"You too." She whispered back, her face was so much more closer to his than he had remembered and for a moment his eyes fixed on hers. He knew Krum and Cedric were in the room but all that seemed to have faded away.

Slowly he felt her turn his head ever so slightly and the next moment he felt all thought wipe out from his mind when her lips touched his for a moment before she pulled away. He was still trying to register what she'd done when he felt her hands wrap around his neck and her lips were on his again although this time it was far more than a simple peck.

He'd never felt anything like it. It was like he was walking on air, the feeling of her soft lips...there were no words to describe the feeling. All he knew was the wanted more. He wrapped his arms around her while her hand came up to his hair, tugging him closer.

He had no idea how long they stayed, neither willing to part from the other. Finally she pulled away before hugging him tightly which he returned, burying his face in her hair partly to hide his face from the others.

Cedric grinned from behind her and gave him a thumbs up, causing him to blush. He thought he saw Krum smile for a moment before he turned away. Remaining in Fleur's embrace had a calming effect on him and he didn't want to let go of her.

Soon afterwards, the canon sounded and Cedric got up shakily. As he disappeared through the door a loud roar followed by screams and wild cheering sounded. Bagman kept up a steady stream of comments, his voice augmented magically. He didn't know which was worse, Bagman's comments such as, "Clever move! Pity it didn't work…" or the gasps, groans, screams and cheers from the crowd as they waited for Cedric to complete his task. After about eight minutes the crowd was cheering itself hoarse. "Give it up for the Hogwarts champion!" Bagman yelled. Cedric had completed his task.

After a few minutes the canon sounded again. Harry leaned his head against hers for a moment before letting her go outside.

"Give it hell." He said softly. She managed a small smile and moved determinedly to the door and disappeared through it.

The next few minutes were the most agonizing minutes Harry had ever gone through in his life. He was worried to death about her and Bagman's commentary wasn't helping; "Oh my god! That was close one." Harry was having terrifying visions running through his mind as the crowd screamed over the roar of the Dragon.

"NICE MOVE!" Bagman suddenly yelled. "Is this it? YES! Ladies and Gentlemen, put your hands together for Miss Delacour of Beauxbatons!" The crowd's cheering drowned out the angry roars of the Dragon and Harry heaved a sigh of relief. She had gotten through.

Soon, the third canon blast sounded and Krum got up.

"Good luck." Harry called out to him as he walked towards the door.

"You too." He grunted in his heavily accented voice. Soon the agonizing routine started.

"A daring move! YES, A DIRECT HIT!" The Dragon was roaring in agony and the ground shook from the force of it moving around. A few minutes later Bagman shouted his final word. Krum too had completed his task. Harry got to his feet, waiting for the canon blast. After what felt like ages it sounded and after closing his eyes for a brief moment, he walked outside.

The sound of the crowd's cheering was became muffled as he walked on. In front of him was the huge black Dragon, crouched protectively over the eggs. The entire area looked like a rocky landscape. He felt hundreds of eyes stare at him from all directions but he blocked them all out, focusing only on the beast in front of him.

"_Stupefy!" _Harry yelled, causing a jet of red light to strike the Dragon just above its left foreleg. It did nothing other than to irritate the Horntail which growled menacingly at him. He heard Bagman shouting something incomprehensible in the background as he began circling the Horntail which was watching him unblinkingly, its yellow eyes fixed on him. His breath quickened when he caught sight of the golden egg which was lying with some other greyish eggs under the Horntail's wing. She didn't seem to want to leave her eggs for anything.

Quickly he fired off three Reductor curses at the ground in front of her. She roared as the boulders blew up, throwing dust up into the air, temporarily blinding it. Harry took careful aim and pointing his wand at elevated area near the Horntail was perched on yelled, _"Confringo" _

She roared as she lost balance and the eggs rolled out from under it, snarling suddenly and abandoning the eggs, rushed straight at Harry. He was given only a split second to react as a jet of flames came right at him, forcing him to conjure up a wide shield. He crouched behind it, waiting for the flames to die out. As soon as the heat diminished he scrambled out of the way, throwing himself out of the Horntail's way. Taking careful aim he tried firing the Conjunctivitus curse and succeeded in scoring a direct hit on the eye.

This enraged the Horntail as she roared in agony. Harry made a beeline for the golden egg and almost reached it when a spiked tail entered his field of vision, forcing him to dodge it by leaping to the side. She was snarling, one of her eyes were closed and yet she was intent on getting to her prey.

Harry had barely managed to dodge another spurt of flames when the Horntail appeared out of nowhere above him, placing him directly underneath its belly. As he scrambled out of its way it suddenly took off, taking flight. He pushed himself to his feet and immediately jumped to the side as the Horntail crashed onto the ground, however he was too late to react to the tail which sped towards him, burying itself deep on his right shoulder.

He gritted his teeth at the pain and wasting no more time he took aim again and fired a second Conjunctivitus curse at the remaining eye, making her roar and trample around, almost damaging the other eggs. The Horntail was fully blinded. This unfortunately meant that the spiked tail which was buried in his shoulder was wrenched away, making him scream in pain. Refusing to let this hinder his movement he dashed at the golden egg and safely tucked it under his arm.

Even as he did so he saw Charlie running through the door at the opposite end with a group of about fifty or so wizards, waving his hands. Harry felt his head spin from exhaustion and the loss of blood as he staggered towards them, a scream from the crowd told him that something had gone horribly wrong.

The entrance from which Charlie came and caved in, trapping him, Harry and about three other wizards who had followed after Charlie. Even before anyone knew what was happening, a massive shape hurtled past him and smashed into the opposite end, next to the entrance as Charlie jumped out of the way. It was the Horntail. She roared angrily and advanced on Charlie and the other three wizards, one of them lying on the floor as Harry watched in horror.

The Horntail seemed to be advancing on the wizards, relying only on her sense of smell. They all fired stunning spells at the Horntail to no effect. Harry quickly grabbed his wand, praying that this would buy them some time, he shouted _"Tenebris Compede!" _

His knees buckled from the sudden drain. Four dark purple chains flew out from the end of his wand, wrapping themselves around the Horntail. It was immediately stopped in its tracks and it roared angrily. But he could feel his sight going blurry. A fraction of a second later a brilliant, jagged white light slammed into the Horntail from somewhere behind him as his chains disappeared. The Horntail slumped forward and didn't move.

He lost his balance and the last thing he remembered was a hand that wrapped around his waist, catching him.

* * *

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He could here low voices around him although he couldn't figure out what they were saying. As his eyes adjusted to the light he became aware of a stinging pain on his shoulder and bit his tongue, screwing his eyes shut. Stopping himself from crying out.

After getting used to the sensation he slowly opened his eyes again. At the foot of the bed he was lying on were two tall figures and he turned sideways to see a familiar silver haired figure sitting on the chair next to him. He slowly became aware of the hand intertwined around his left hand.

"Hey" He murmured. He heard a startled gasp before his vision was blinded by a mass of silver hair, the flowery scent threatening to overpower his senses as Fleur threw her arms around him, avoiding his injured shoulder and burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"Idiot…" She whispered "Don't ever do somezing like zat again.". After a while she drew back. She had tears streaming down her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy, although it did nothing to lessen her beauty.

"Sorry." He hated himself for making her cry.

"Harry, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked, Harry turned to him who was standing in front of him next to Lupin. A loud bark announced that Sirius was also present and Harry grinned slightly when Sirius put his paws up onto the bed, allowing him to get a better look at him.

"Alright I guess. What happened?" Harry asked.

"One of the wizards were under the Imperius curse. He destroyed the entrance from where you're supposed to go through after collecting the egg." Lupin answered in a tired voice.

"Who cast it?"

"We don't know." Dumbledore said quietly. At that moment Poppy came bustling in with a steaming towel.

"You can talk to him later headmaster." She said in an irritated voice. Dumbledore chuckled softly and stepped back.

"Of course, and Harry? All things considered, you were placed in first place. You did a very nice job I must say." He added before he stepped outside.

"We'll see you again soon Harry." Lupin said with a small smile. "There are a few more people waiting for you outside."

"Well you can tell them to wait there! At least until I am finished with him." Poppy said crossly to Lupin before he nodded and left with Sirius. Without warning she pressed the warm towel on his shoulder making him hiss in pain and Fleur glared at her. "It's necessary Harry so bear with it." After repeating it for a few times she stepped back in satisfaction. "Alright, now just sit for a few minutes or I won't let anyone else in or for you to go out. Got it?" Harry nodded with a grin.

He glanced at Fleur and was relieved to see that she had stopped crying although her eyes were still red.

"How'd you do?" He asked.

"I'm tying for second place wiz Krum." She replied, grinning.

"Nice one!" He exclaimed, grinning broadly. She gently traced her finger along his bandaged shoulder lightly.

"Does it 'urt?" She asked softly.

"No, it's alright now." Harry felt his cheeks coloring slightly as he realized that they were the only two in the tent now. He hadn't been able to think about it much, but now he was remembering their kiss before they had faced the Dragons. She smiled at him and he was aware of her gradually getting closer to him.

"You're blushing again 'Arry." She whispered. He tried to say something but none of the words were coming out. He could only watch transfixed while she drew closer.

Before he knew it, she was kissing him gently. After getting over his initial surprise he responded by wrapping his uninjured arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him while he started kissing her back. She slowly hoisted herself up onto the bed, her lithe body coming to rest atop his as her arms circled his neck. She whimpered softly before pulling away, resting her head on his as they gazed at each other. She chuckled slightly before moving back, closing the distance between them again as he smiled against her lips before returning her ministrations as best he could.

A chorus of wolf whistles and giggles forced them apart too soon for their liking though. Both of them turned, blushing furiously towards the entrance where the twins, Aurélie, Caroline and Amy who were grinning widely at them.

"About time!" George exclaimed while the others laughed at the blushing faces of the two champions.

"They're waiting for you two in the tent over there. Should I go tell them to carry on seeing as you two are busy?" Fred said with a smirk. He glared at him before pushing himself up right. Under the support of the twins he shakily got to his feet and walked outside. The crowd's cheering increased dramatically.

"Harry!" He turned to see Charlie jogging up to him. "I…no we owe you our lives. If you hadn't stopped the Horntail I don't think we could have survived long enough for Dumbledore to intervene." Harry shrugged in embarrassment. "Besides, you were outstanding! You were against the Horntail too! Anyways, later Harry. I promised I would write to mom and let her know everything that happened. They're waiting for you two over there." Harry and Fleur made their way to the tent where they were before facing the Dragons while the others left to join the crowds in the stands to get outside.

"A job well done, all four of you." Bagman said, smiling at each of them. Cedric had half of his face covered in bandages and Krum had his usual scowl back in his face, other than that he looked unhurt. "Now then, please pick up your golden eggs?"

He noticed his egg lying on the bunk bed next to which the tiny model of the Horntail was sleeping and picked it up.

"Right, these eggs are really important for they contain the clue that will tell you what you need to know for the second task which takes place on February without which you cannot hope to succeed." Bagman said cheerfully. "Any questions?" They shook their heads. "Off you go then. Get some rest, you've all more than earned it."

Harry tucked his egg safely under his arm and picked up his model of the Dragon before walking outside with Fleur. The others were waiting patiently for them and once they reached them, Fred and George grabbed hold of both Harry and Fleur's eggs and started shaking them and tapping it with their knuckles eliciting laughs from the people around them. Harry felt his hand brush Fleur's as they started making their way back to the castle and after grinning shyly at each other, gripped each other's hands tightly. They were walking for a short while only before they were interrupted by the reporter woman and her cameraman who were waiting by the sidelines.

"Harry and Fleur! Congratulations on your performances for the first task. May we have a couple of words about your experience?"

"You can have one word." He growled. "Goodbye." Fleur hid her laughter at the expression on the witch's face but the others were not so successful Together they headed back to the castle in happiness; feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders.

* * *

**AN: Gonna keep this short, I'm sleepy lol. Hope I made Harry's face off against the Dragon good. I kept only a few things the same as canon throughout this whole chapter, hope I didn't bore everyone with those but I felt I needed to keep them there. **

**Please review and let know your thoughts about this. Anything I did wrong, what you liked/didn't etc. I'm really, really, really happy with the amount of reviews I've been getting for this. While I know I'm not good enough in comparison with most of the other writers on this site, you guys all make me feel like a million bucks. **

**Thanks for reading **

**Gotta sleep now **


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks a lot for all the responses guys. I know I always say this but I will never cease to be amazed at the amount of people that read and enjoy this, so…thank you :)**

**-Insert usual statement about italics here- **

**CHAPTER 8**

"Again." Sirius called.

"_Stupefy" _Harry murmured, concentrating hard. The tip of his took on a red glow. Slowly, a glowing red ball grew at the tip of the wand which steadily grew larger and larger. After a few seconds Harry broke off, panting slightly but with a triumphant grin on his face. Floating just a few inches in front of him was a glowing red ball which remained perfectly stationary.

"Good." Sirius nodded with a grin. Harry flicked his wand and the ball disappeared. He turned to walk back to one of the armchairs and staggered slightly as his vision shifted in and out of focus.

"You alright Harry?" Lupin asked in a concerned voice as he sat down.

"Yeah, just lost focus for a bit." He muttered, wincing slightly as his shoulder gave a painful throb. He wasn't supposed to be moving around much after all. The Horntail's tail had buried itself a little too deep in shoulder/

"That's enough for now Harry. I only wanted you to do this because I wanted to see if you can. We can carry on after Christmas." Sirius said, sinking into the chair next to Harry.

It has been two weeks since the first task. Today was the first day of the Christmas break which oddly started sooner than normal. Lupin suggested that it would be better to do his training during the day now that they had time and had insisted with the backing of Sirius that they wouldn't teach him anything until he was back to a hundred percent. So today, around two in the afternoon found Harry, Sirius and Lupin in the Room of Requirement.

"Isn't that like two weeks?" He asked. "Seems like a waste don't you think?"

"Just take the time to rest. You need it after all. We had been meaning to tell you, we won't be here for the time anyways." Sirius muttered after a few moments.

"Why?" Harry asked with a frown.

"A few things we have to do…we'll let you know later Harry." Sirius added, catching the look on Harry's face.

"Is it something to do with what happened at the first task?" Harry asked curiously. From what he knew, no one had any idea about who cast the Imperius curse on one of the Dragon handlers. The wizard himself had no memory of it and it was assumed that he was under the Imperius curse a few days before the task took place.

"You could say that." Sirius replied with a smirk. "That reminds me, have you checked out your egg yet?"

"Yeah, all it does is wail loudly until I close it. I have no idea what it means."

"When did you say the second task was again?" Lupin asked.

"Bagman just told us it's on February." Harry said with a shrug, immediately regretting it when his shoulder gave a sharp throb.

"We can work on that later then."

"You can use this time for more important things." Sirius said with a grin. "How are things with the French Champion?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked feebly, feeling his cheeks warm up.

"Don't act dumb pup. I'll never forgive you if you let someone like that get away from you. She's one hell of a catch, take some initiative!" Sirius was still grinning widely at the embarrassed look on Harry's face while Lupin watched in amusement. "And while you're at it, work on those other French witches too. I'm starting to regret that I spent most of my time here in England. If half the witches in France are as good as the ones here it must be paradise."

Harry covered his face with his palm. "Aren't they a little too young for you Padfoot?" Lupin asked with a smirk.

"Well, they are still women aren't they? Besides, there's bound to be plenty of older women that look like that in France."

"And he wonders why James got married before him." Lupin muttered while Harry laughed.

"I heard that." Sirius growled. Glancing down at his watch he got up. "Alright Harry, it's almost three. We should be heading back." Harry nodded and stood up with Lupin.

"So we won't be meeting again until Monday then?" Harry asked.

"No. And I don't want to hear that you spent even five minutes in the Hospital Wing because you recklessly practice magic alright?" Sirius said sternly.

"Got it." Harry replied with a grin. After exchanging farewells Harry stepped outside of the room after carefully checking to see if no one was around with his map. It was day time after all.

As he made his way down the stairs slowly, he passed numerous students who openly stared at him in awe. It was like the earlier mutterings and subtle hostility that had been directed to him ever since he became a champion never happened. Carefully avoiding their gazes he quickened his pace, trying to make his way downstairs as soon as possible.

This, the way they acted frustrated him. They always changed. It was just like back in his second year when everyone thought he was the heir of Slytherin. They all avoided him like a plague and spoke behind his back. By the end of the year once everything was clear, he went back to being the person they admired and liked. It was no different now. _At least the Slytherins never change, they always hated me since day 1. _

It seemed that the everyone wereshocked by his performance in the first task. Fred and George who had secretly set up bets for who was most likely to win in the first task were now rolling in galleons.

Everyone that had placed bets had favored either Cedric or Krum to win. Some had even placed bets that Harry wouldn't last longer than a five minutes against the Dragon. Still some had even betted that Fleur would be almost as bad as Harry. The twins had of course placed their own bets, placing everything they had and more on Harry and Fleur acting on a whim. Something that Harry was still rather angry with them because if things hadn't gone the way they had, they wouldn't have had the remotest way to pay the money.

The level of spells he had used that day had not gone unnoticed by anyone. Rita Skeeter had commented on it in the Daily Prophet, to quote;_"Mr. Potter showed that he is not the average fourth year Hogwarts student. The question is, what else has he been hiding?"_

Apparently everyone knew by now that Harry was not representing Hogwarts as his points were not added up in Hogwart's favor. The Daily Prophet had slightly exaggerated here and made him out into a sort of a rogue champion. This however had given some people the idea that he was not representing his school because of his arrogance. There was always something that people managed to pick up to keep blinding themselves to the truth with Harry thought bitterly.

The Dragon handler who had endangered his, Charlie and his associate's lives while under the Imperius curse had apologized countless times to him when he had met him. Harry thought he had seen fear in the man's eyes which irked him slightly, it seemed he had been expecting Harry to press charges for it. The man had no memory about who cast the curse on him or when. A few drops of Veritaserum had confirmed his innocence as Sirius informed him.

This incident however, was not made public. Mostly everyone thought that it had been a freak accident. If this was made public the tournament would have been forced to shut down. It was clear that whoever did this was aiming for him and him only. If the tournament was shut down it meant that everything the others had worked for was for naught. Harry was still glad that the tournament was still going on. If it did shut down it meant that there would be no more reason for either of the foreign schools to remain here anymore and he wasn't ready to say good bye to Fleur at all. His desire to be with her had only increased after the first task to a point that it was scary.

With their mutual affections out in the open, they had become closer to each other than they already were before the task. She didn't have any problems with openly displaying her affection for him which after his initial shock and embarrassment when she had kissed him in the middle of the Great Hall during dinner one time, he happily returned. He still couldn't believe his luck and how everything had turned out between them and he couldn't remember feeling this happy in his entire life.

He knew that they were going to have to talk about how this was going soon but he also dreaded it. He was scared that it might change what they were having now. He didn't understand why she would choose him of all people, an underage wizard who was nothing but a heap of trouble.

"Harry?" He was brought out of his musings by a tentative voice beside him. He jumped slightly, coming out of his reverie. Recognizing the voice immediately he carefully stepped a little farther away from.

"What Hermione?" He asked, not bothering to disguise his annoyance. He wanted to get downstairs where Fleur and the others were waiting for him. He was already running late and was afraid of what they were going to do to him when they found him. He always avoided mentioning where he went when he went to meet Sirius and Lupin and although they never questioned him, he knew that they were a little worried about it because he always came back looking unusually tired, looking like he would fall over.

"Um, I just wanted to know how you were doing." He looked at Hermione. She looked genuinely worried and her eyes were a little red. She had kept trying to talk to him after the task but he never gave her the chance. He suddenly felt a spasm of guilt and after a long moment he tried his best to smile at her and force his voice back to normal.

"I'm alright, still a little sore but I should be fine." She made a small noise that sounded like a sob which only made him more uncomfortable.

"That's great. You were amazing out there Harry. You really were." She said quietly. She looked like she was struggling to say something but fell silent again.

"Thanks…er" Harry stopped when she opened her mouth to speak again and looked at her curiously.

"Sorry." She said in a small voice. Harry tried to speak but she went on, cutting him off. "Fleur is a great person, I'm glad you two are together." She finished with a small smile and Harry rubbed his neck in embarrassment.

"Thank you." He murmured. She nodded and turned away. "Hermione!" He called after her. She had only walked a few steps away from him and she turned to look at him. "I'll see you around later." A large smile broke out on her face and she looked for a moment like she was going to dash at him but seemed to think better of it. He grinned, feeling oddly light like something had been lifted off his chest and after waving goodbye at her, turned and continued downstairs.

He had been guilty with the way he had treated Hermione. No matter how angry or betrayed he felt with her he couldn't stand that he was causing her pain emotionally, this made him glad that he was finally able to at least try, and give her a chance today. It had been a constant, gnawing pain in his head for some time now.

Ron on the other hand, he couldn't find it in him to forgive him. Charlie had somehow found out that Ron hadn't informed Harry about the letter he had sent him about the Dragons, something which Harry suspected the twins had a big hand in. Harry didn't know the details but it seemed that Charlie had quite a few words with Ron before he left for Romania. Ron noticeably became very subdued afterwards, not even coming down to eat at meal times.

He stepped outside to the grounds and quickly made his way to the secluded spot near the lake, ignoring some of the students who called out to him. As soon as he reached it, he saw an angry Fleur standing with her arms crossed, staring at the lake. When he got closer she turned her head sharply in an almost bird-like movement.

"You better 'ave a good reason for not being 'ere when you said you would." Fleur demanded. Harry got as close as he thought was safe and looked at her imploringly. He could see her eyes that were narrowed softened noticeably but her expression remained angry.

"Well?"

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time." Harry said quietly looking down. He couldn't understand it, but he couldn't stand to have her angry at him. It was quiet for a while until she sighed softly and walked up to him and gently lifted his face up so that his eyes met hers.

"'Arry, I'm only worried about you because I'm scared zat you will end up back in ze 'ospital wing for doing somezing reckless again. I don't know where you keep disappearing off to all the time and I can't 'elp but worry." She said softly.

"It's fine Fleur, really. I will make a promise now that I will tell you where I keep going soon though." He wanted to tell her about Sirius and Lupin and what it was that he was doing, but he was afraid that she would be frightened off by it. Revealing why he was training would mean that he was going to have to tell her everything about him and Voldemort.

She seemed to sense the internal conflict because she put her arms around him and placed her head on his shoulder. Harry took a sharp intake of breath before he buried his face in her hair. This always had a calming effect on him.

"I don't need to know where you go off to if it izsomezing you are uncomfortable wiz revealing." She whispered, her breath tickling his ear. Then she smirked unseen by Harry. "As long as you aren't going to meet wiz another girl."

Harry pulled away from her and instantly she knew her words had hurt him. Her heart almost broke at the sight of his face; his eyes lost their usual glow that made them light up, replaced by an almost lifeless look.

"I'd never do that to you." He said quietly.

"'Arry…" Cursing herself for making him like this. He looked away and she gently cupped his cheek, forcing him to look at her. She slowly leaned in and kissed him, enjoying the way the feeling of his soft lips and the way his face warmed up whenever she did this. Closing her eyes she concentrated on transferring all her feelings for him, the trust she had in him, how much she adored him.

After a few moments she reluctantly pulled away. She leaned her head against his and slowly opened her eyes to find that the green eyes had regained some of its beautiful glow.

"I know you won't." She murmured. They stayed like that, safely in each others arms until it was finally time for them to head back to the castle.

* * *

The Christmas decorations in the castle this year were by far the most spectacular that Harry had ever seen. Instead of just the usual green Christmas trees that usually decorated the Great Hall, there were numerous snowy white trees that had been decorated in addition to the usual amount of trees.

The suits of armor were spotless and instead of swords, they now carried candy canes. None of them seemed to be too happy about it though, some even showing their irritation by tripping random people with their canes as they walked past them in the corridors.

All around the school there were occasional outbursts of Christmas carols, courtesy of the numerous portraits. This time though, it was sung in French and Bulgarian in addition to English. The smells wafting in from the kitchens below meant that the house elves were busier than they had ever been.

Mistletoe was something of a nightmare this year. Harry was finding it extremely difficult to stay inside the castle without his invisibility cloak anymore. Wherever he went a large number of girls always followed, forcing him to spend almost all of his time outside. Not that he complained though, Fleur was facing the same, if not worse problem with the boys as was Aurélie and Caroline. Amy seemed to have picked up a boy from Durmstrang and she kept disappearing for increasingly long amounts of time.

Fred, George, Jean and Basile were having the time of their lives. All four of them Harry noticed, were exceptionally talented with mind altering charms which they put to full use once on a mistletoe targeting an unsuspecting Malfoy and a seventh year Slytherin that Fred and George seemed to hate. What happened afterwards emotionally scarred a few first years who were unlucky enough to catch the sight and rendered Malfoy unable to show his face to the school for a good number of days.

Harry was for the first time reluctantly dragged into Fleur's room in the Beauxbatons carriage one day. It was freezing outside and neither of them wanted to walk into the castle which was in a state of chaos with more than half of the students taking after the twin's and the French prankster's idea. Either way, it was extremely hazardous for any of them to venture into the castle.

They had even met Krum and Cedric outside along with a few others who had also wanted to escape the madness in the castle. They had politely declined when Krum had invited them to the ship, partly due to the fact that one of the boys who attacked Fleur was with them.

Harry who immediately went to sit on the chair next to the window was dragged by Fleur onto the bed by her while Aurélie and Caroline stood by the side watching in amusement.

"Why don't we go to the dining table?" Harry whined as Fleur pulled him backwards onto her while Caroline sat down, bouncing on the bed slightly.

"Because zis is much more comfortable." Aurélie said with a wink sitting down next to Caroline.

"And my butt felt like it was going to get frozen off…what? I'm just telling it like it is." Caroline added at the three questioning looks.

Harry soon got over his nervousness of being in bed with Fleur who had her head pressed against his chest again while Caroline and Aurélie were leaning on some pillows that they had conjured up, laughing and reminiscing about the past years.

Harry found this oddly familiar and comforting. Like it was something he once had and yet never received. Even though him, Ron and Hermione had been best friends they never did anything like this, just sitting and talking together without a particular purpose. It was always about something that was going on that needed to be discussed or Hermione was always either reading a book and Ron was focused on talking about Quidditch. Harry had to answer to both of them.

This was different. Apart from Fleur who was cuddled up against him who had already become an almost vital part of his life although he didn't know how to define it, Caroline and Aurélie felt a lot like family to him. It was an entirely new feeling, as they all kept joining in on the conversations or poking fun at each other. He felt that he, rather than spending his earlier three years in Hogwarts, had spent almost six years in Beauxbatons with the witches.

* * *

"Right then, I have an important announcement to you all." McGonagall said sternly, silencing the entire common room. She stayed quiet while the general murmur in the room died down until it was complete silence.

"This year, Hogwarts will be hosting the Yule Ball in light of the Triwizard tournament which will be taking place on the evening of Christmas. Only fourth year and above are allowed however you may invite a younger student if you wish." McGonagall was sounding even more strict than usual.

"Now this event is a chance for us all to, in lack of a better word, loosen ourselves. That does NOT mean however that I will tolerate any of the Gryffindors bringing shame to his or her house. Each and every one of you represent our house, therefore each and every one of you represent us. It only takes one badly behaved individual to cause the reputation of the house and its students to crumble. Understand?" She asked. She waited for about two minutes, when no one seemed to be speaking she nodded in satisfaction.

"Mr. Potter, I'd like to have a word with you outside." Feeling a little apprehensive he followed after McGonagall who disappeared through the portrait hole. Once outside he was surprised to find that she hadn't moved an inch and was waiting for him to climb out.

"Now Mr. Potter, before you say anything I know that you are not representing a school in this competition. However it is traditional for the champions to open the dance with their respective partners."

"Umm Professor? What did you mean when you said partners?" Harry asked hurriedly, unsure of whether he had heard properly or not.

"Yes Mr. Potter, your partner, your dance partner."

"But I don't…I mean I can't dance." He stammered, blushing slightly. The corners of McGonagall's mouth twitched upwards in a rare smile.

"Well then I suggest you make haste and get practice, you wouldn't want to disappoint Miss Delacour would you?" Then she turned and left, leaving Harry standing speechless.

Harry was absolutely dreading going to the ball. True, the first thought that had jumped to his mind when McGonagall had mentioned the ball was that he probably wouldn't go. He was scared that he would embarrass Fleur in front of everyone. There wasn't anyone else he would go with other than her after all, but the fact remained that he couldn't dance.

He deliberately let off asking Fleur to the ball for two days. He knew it hurt her although she never mentioned anything about it while they were together. He needed to find a way to learn to dance and he kept trying to get help from Professor McGonagall. But she seemed to be too busy every time he checked. He was running out of time too.

Fleur had gotten invited to the ball countless times as Caroline had informed him and told him to get a move on. Although he knew that she would never accept to go to the ball with any of them there was still a tiny part at the back of his mind that was scared that she might get tired of him and accept, another darker part of him wanted to rip whoever that asked her limb from limb.

She wasn't alone though, he had countless distractions while he was desperately trying to find a way to learn to not embarrass himself at the ball. Many of the Hogwarts girls seemed to think he was a worthy catch, especially now that he wasn't looked down as a champion. There were even quite a few girls from Durmstrang that had their eyes on him and he realized that the easiest way to stop everyone from asking him and Fleur to go to the ball respectively was to ask her and be done with it.

So it was with these thoughts that he carefully removed Aurélie from the group the first chance he got the next day and confessed about his total lack of knowledge about dancing.

She started laughing.

"It's not that funny." He muttered while she beckoned him into an empty classroom that they had located.

"It is for me." She choked out in between giggles.

"Come on, please help me." He moaned. She finally stopped giggling and regarded him with a mischievous smirk.

"And what do I get in return?" She sticking her nose up in the air and folding her arms in a perfect imitation of a snob.

"I don't know!"

"'Ow about a solid gold set of Gobstones?" She asked in a thoughtful voice. Harry gaped at her. "Oh come on! I'm kidding. Umm…'ow about you two visit me when you come to France in the summer?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Huh?" She suddenly blushed and looked sheepish. "What do you mean? France? Summer?" She refused to talk no matter what he tried. Finally giving up he fell silent when she refused to talk. After a few moments of silence she looked up in relief.

"Alright, come 'ere." She held out her hand and Harry looked at her in surprise. "Take it." She growled and he hesitantly took it and she intertwined her fingers around his. Next she grabbed his other hand which was lying uselessly at his side and placed it on her waist, sighing when he blushed at the contact.

"'Onestly 'Arry. You are mature about everything else but when it comes to zings like zis you are worse zan a five year old." He looked hurt at this but she grinned triumphantly when he stopped fidgeting and remained still.

"Just copy me for now." She slowly started moving slowly on the spot. "And watch your feet!" She yelped, narrowly avoiding his foot which was now standing where hers had been a split second ago.

"Sorry." He mumbled sheepishly.

"It's alright, now…" Even Harry had to admit, it's simple. After a few steps and a few twirls he found that it was getting easier to keep going. Aurélie flicked her wand and a light tune started playing and soon, they were getting well into it until Harry had fully learnt all the steps.

He was surprised to find that it hadn't taken more than a few hours when they stepped out.

"Thanks a lot Aurélie, seriously." He said smiling at her to which she returned.

"No problem, umm…" She had the same sheepish expression she had at the beginning. "Don't tell Fleur I said anyzing ok?"

Faking a look of confusion he turned to her, "Did you say anything about summer? Oh yeah you did, thanks for the reminder!"

"'Arry…" She growled and reached out to him and he danced out of her reach.

"I'll specifically ask her about what you said." He yelled, sprinting down the corridor while she laughed and chased after him, ignoring the looks of amusement on the others who were watching both of them act like four year olds.

Harry grinned as he sped down the stairs, she was still closely behind him and he ducked when a bolt of silver light narrowly missed him which he recognized as the tickling charm. Unfortunately at that moment he ran headlong into a surprised and extremely large 7th year and with the force of the impact he lost his footing and tumbled onto the ground.

"Now…" He heard a soft voice behind him and looked around to see Aurélie standing over him with an evil grin on her face. He barely had time to react when she descended on him, tickling every inch of him she could reach making him laugh uncontrollably while the onlookers looked on laughing as the same person who had taken down a Dragon was now writhing helplessly on the floor, helpless to the blue haired witch who was showing no mercy.

A loud clearing of a throat behind them forced Aurélie to stop, much to Harry's relief and they both turned sheepishly to find Professor McGonagall looking at them with a stern expression although she had a hint of a smile on her face.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Belcourt, if you two could kindly act your age?" She asked as they both pushed themselves off the floor blushing slightly.

"Sorry Professor." Harry said in embarrassment while he heard Aurélie mutter something similar next to him.

She sighed, "Off you go then."

Neither needed telling twice as they hurried down the corridor.

Soon afterwards they found Fleur who was in the school courtyard with Caroline talking with Cedric who grinned at him as he made his approach.

"Where have you two been? You should have seen it, it was the funniest thing ever!" Caroline exclaimed while Fleur and Cedric looked amused.

"What happened?" Harry asked, sitting down on the ledge next to Fleur who moved a bit to make space for him and immediately took his hand, surprising him slightly.

"Ron Weasley asked Fleur to the ball." Cedric replied with a smirk. Harry's jaw dropped while the others burst out laughing.

"How did this happen?" Harry couldn't make neither head nor tail of this but he could feel his anger growing towards Ron. What was he playing at?

"I don't think he meant to though." Caroline replied.

"Huh?" Harry asked confused, looking at Fleur curiously. She smiled and shook her head.

"Weak willed…" She murmured and he understood. How could he forget?

"It was still funny, after he asked her he just stood there for about a whole minute and ran away." Caroline said, smirking at the memory.

"Oh yeah Harry I wanted to ask you, Krum asked if he could meet with us sometime in the Quidditch Pitch sometime." Cedric said, his eyes glinting in excitement while Harry gaped.

"What?"

"Yeah, he said he wants to see how Hogwart's finest handles a broom." Aurélie smirked.

"And zat is you and 'Arry?"

"Of course!" Both of them exclaimed. Fleur grinned.

"So you accept it? I never expected you 'ad some ego 'Arry, or even you Cedric." Harry and Cedric grinned evilly.

"When it comes to Quidditch, we shouldn't hide should we Harry?" Cedric inquired with a thoughtful expression.

"Of course. It's always going to be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and lastly stinking Slytherin." Harry declared.

"Hey! Why did you put Hufflepuff after Gryffindor?" Cedric whined.

"Because I have to fall off my broom for you to catch the snitch." Cedric lunged for Harry and grabbed his head under his arm and rubbed his head hard with his knuckles while the others laughed at the sight.

After a few minutes where Harry struggled to get out from under Cedric's arm they both sat panting on the ground.

"You've changed somewhat Harry." Cedric said grinning.

"Yeah?" Harry asked returning the grin.

" like your girlfriend is being a bad influence on you." Harry who was blushing now punched Cedric's shoulder lightly and he clutched his arm with a mock hurt expression and glanced at Fleur. "See what I mean?"

"I'm glad, 'e was a leetle too innocent when I met 'im." Fleur said with a wide smile.

"Hey! We did the most part!" Caroline huffed indignantly. Cedric immediately put up his hands.

"I know, I know. I saw what you did to Malfoy, I see where Harry here gets his new violent streak from." He said cheekily and laughed with the others as she smacked the top of his head.

"When did Krum ask for us?" Harry asked curiously.

"A few days ago, when he invited us to the Durmstrang ship…remember?"

"Quidditch talk?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"What else? Got to improve relations with the other schools as champion right? Seeing as you've got Beauxbatons more than covered on your end." Cedric finished grinning while Harry blushed and the witches smirked at his words.

"We could use one more contact in Hogwarts though Mr. Diggory, seeing as Harry here is already taken." Caroline purred and Harry laughed as Cedric went red.

"Hey Cho!" Harry exclaimed making Cedric get to his feet in a flash and look around in fear. The sounds of laughter behind him made him growl as he grabbed Harry who was still laughing on the ground.

After a while Cedric left saying he needed to see Cho and Harry nervously got to his feet. He still needed to ask Fleur to go the ball with him.

"Fleur? Can I talk to you for a sec?" He asked. She nodded with a smile while Caroline huffed.

"Fine, we can tell when we're not wanted." She marched away and Aurélie laughed.

"We'll meet you two at Dinner zen." She winked at Harry and ran to catch up with Caroline. Harry and Fleur left the courtyard and into the grounds. Harry didn't know why he was nervous, he already knew that she felt the same way about him as he did her. He glanced down at their intertwined hands and smiled, he had no idea exactly when or where his hand had found its way into Fleur and the thought made him happy.

Once they reached their usual spot by the lake he turned and faced her nervously. By the mischievous glint in her eyes he knew she had an idea of what he was trying to do. He tried to speak but faltered when the wind blew slightly, causing her long hair to flow gently across her face, making her look angelic.

Summoning all of his courage he took a deep breath.

"Fleur Isabelle Delacour, will you go to the ball with me?" He spoke softly and was surprised to find that he didn't stumble on any of the words.

Fleur smiled beautifully at him making his heart skip a couple of beats. "Yes 'Arry." She murmured, resting her head on his while he sighed in relief and closed his eyes at the contact.

"Sorry I took so long." He said quietly. She giggled softly and kissed him.

"I did wonder, are you going to tell me why?" She asked playfully.

"I'll let you know at the ball?" He asked.

"Eet's a surprise?"

"I'm hoping it will be a good one." He said laughing.

That night Harry noticed throughout dinner that his eyesight was sliding in and out of focus and at brief moments his vision would black out to be replaced by shadows around him. He also felt himself getting increasingly sleepy as the time wore on.

Assuring everyone that he was just tired and needed to sleep he made his way back to the common room and up to the dormitory, collapsing onto his bed the moment he reached it, forgetting to take off his clothes and glasses with his face buried on the pillow.

* * *

He was gazing down at a cowering man in front of him while a few feet in front of him were two silent figures who were watching the scene before them.

They were in a darkened room, the walls were covered in multiple scratches and the window in front of him was half covered with a large piece of cloth, letting moonlight stream in.

"Master...p…please, I…" The man in front of him whispered. He laughed, the sound sent chills down his spine. The laughter was high and cold and carried no humor in it. He liked it, he liked hearing the fear in this man's voice.

"Who said you can speak?" He asked. "Again." One of the figures at the back raised a wand and pointed it at the covering man.

"_Crucio" _A surge of pleasure shot through him as the man screamed. After a full minute he raised his hand and the figure lowered his wand. The man's screams subsided and he could hear him crying, sobbing like a newborn.

"Well Wormtail? Do you want another taste of pain? Or will you take it to heart that you will not fail me again?" He asked coldly. Wormtail nodded swiftly.

"Y-yes master."

"You have failed me too many times Wormtail. I will give you only one more chance, fail me again and you will not see the light of another day."

"Yes my lord."

"Remove yourself from my presence." He spat. Once Wormtail scurried away he beckoned one of the figures forward.

"My lord?" He asked. His voice was like a low growl.

"Greyback, it seems that my servant in Hogwarts has broken free of our control and has taken matters into his own hands. He has become a thorn in my side." The man grinned, showing large fangs.

"He will be taken care of my lord." He glared at him and instantly the man looked down in fear with a barely audible whine.

"I trust you can follow my orders more efficiently than Wormtail?"

"Yes my lord."

"Then you will do well to consider your words before you speak. You will act on June, we cannot risk drawing attention more than we already have to ourselves. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes my lord." He repeated.

"The boy is vital, I do not think that we can follow with the original plan now. It will be up to you to make sure he gets to me, and that our friend is disposed of." The man's eyes glinted in excitement nodded.

"Good, leave us." He waited until the room was empty before closing his eyes. He could not, would not show weakness in front of his followers. He only had to endure for little bit more after all.

* * *

Miles away Harry Potter snapped his eyes open, sweat pouring down his face. He could still remember vividly what he had seen. What was going on? Who was Greyback? Who was the servant in Hogwarts?

Glancing around the room he got to his feet quietly. He needed to tell Dumbledore about this. Grabbing his cloak which he threw over himself, completely covering himself. After quietly climbing out of the portrait hole and ignoring the Fat Lady's startled gasp he hurried down to Dumbledore's office and pulled off his cloak as he strode nearer to the Gargoyle.

"Whoa there son you shouldn't be here this time of night." It said.

"I need to see Professor Dumbledore, it's kind of urgent." The Gargoyle shook its head.

"You missed him earlier, he's gone. Left some time ago actually." Harry cursed under his breath.

"Do you know when he will be back?"

"Can't say I do. Now you better get back to bed." It said sternly. Harry grinned slightly and nodded, throwing his cloak back on. But he didn't head back to the common room, instead choosing to head down to the grounds. Once outside he took off his cloak and proceeded down to the lake, wondering if he should write a letter to Sirius like he did last time or just wait until they got back.

There was one thing that made him nervous though. In the dream or vision, he _was_ Voldemort. It wasn't like the last time when he had been watching from the sides. He had _felt _the emotions, he had _felt _the pleasure at hearing Wormtail's screams. He didn't know what to make of it and he felt like he was tainted, half of him was unwilling to mention this to Dumbledore or Sirius and yet another half of him knew that this was something they needed to know.

No, this wasn't something that he could put in a letter. This was something he needed to see them personally and ask about. Sighing he gazed up at the night sky as a bright red star twinkled brightly, remembering his first year when he had met the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest.

"Mars is unusually bright today." He muttered under his breath, catching himself by surprise before proceeding to walking along the shore, letting the cool air soothe him. Gazing fondly at the Beauxbatons carriage he let his thoughts drift to Fleur which immediately calmed him down, wondering what on Earth he had ever done to have someone like her in his life. He felt like he was living in a dream with her. He realized now that she was something that he needed to keep going. The thought scared him yet he didn't want to deny it to himself.

Gazing back up at the sky he realized there were a multitude of blue stars surrounding the red one, all of them twinkling as brightly as the red one. The sight was strangely appealing to him as he sat down under the tree, keeping his eyes fixed on the sky. Before he realized it, he was fast asleep, no longer troubled by any nightmares.

* * *

Harry and Cedric met with Krum at the Quidditch pitch the next day. Harry was shocked to find that Krum was actually really friendly and even rather talkative. Contrary to how he had been acting. After introductions they had taken to the skies, both Harry and Krum chuckling in amusement at Cedric who was whining at being left behind since he was still using a Nimbus 2001, which while being an excellent broom, was not quite in the league with the Firebolt.

Harry had the most amount of fun in a long time. He had longed for so long to be back in the air, but the First task and his lessons with Sirius and Lupin had been taking up almost all of his time. Krum had brought his own golden snitch which added to the fun, turning the pitch into a three way duel between the three Seekers to catch it.

Harry only managed to grab the snitch twice, and that too he counted on sheer luck. Krum was in a completely different world from knew that there was no way he had a chance at beating him in at a match. Krum however laughed when Cedric and Harry expressed their amazement once they were on the ground.

"I hav been playing Quidditch since I vas four." He said, chuckling at the looks on their faces.

"Dam, and you're like, the youngest player in an International team." Cedric muttered, shaking his head.

"One of our beaters is 19, only an year older than I." He replied with a shrug. "You two should try, England can use a useful Seeker." Harry grinned.

"You talking about Lynch?" Krum smirked.

"Almost as useless as our Chasers." They roared in laughter as they made their way off the pitch. They had only just then realized that the stands had collected quite a crowd and they were eager to make themselves scarce.

* * *

Christmas day was soon upon them. There was a sense of badly concealed excitement in the air as everyone scrambled around, grabbing their presents from under their beds. Harry woke up and eyed the room sleepily, just making out the figures of Neville, Seamus, Dean and Ron who were ripping off the covers on their presents. Harry got up and pushed on his glasses, looking happily at the huge pile under his bed.

"Merry Christmas Harry! And thanks for the present!" Neville yelled happily and Harry chuckled.

"You too Neville." It was nice to see Neville so happy and loud. He was usually quiet and timid. Taking a leaf out of Moody's book he had given Neville a book on Herbology.

None of the other boys around him said anything but he didn't care, proceeding to unwrap his presents.

He got the usual sweater from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley although this time it had a golden dragon stitched to it along with some homemade treats. From Fred and George he got a huge bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and an assortment of Zonko's merchandise. He also had some strange looking instruments from Jean and Basile which he thought were probably not safe to touch until he had asked them about it. Neville had given him a Wizard's Chess set. Hermione's gift was a book on Advanced Transfiguration. He felt glad that they had made up after all.

Angelina, Alicia and Katie had all chipped in and given him a brand new broomstick servicing kit. Hagrid had sent him some of his signature rock cakes along with a wallet made from Dragon hide. To his surprise he also had a pair of Dragon hide boots from Charlie.

Sirius had given him a brand new wand holster. Lupin had gotten him a golden snitch which started flying around at high speeds around the room as soon as he opened the box. It took a few minutes but as soon as the snitch flew closer to him he snatched it out of the air in a flash and stuffed it inside the box.

He got a bottle of men's perfume from Amy and from Aurélie he got a brand new set of Wizard Robes which were plan black except they had a more stylish look to it than normal. Caroline had given him a black shirt which had a designer label that he had seen on some of Uncle Vernon's shirts back when he was in Privet Drive.

Finally he reached for Fleur's present. Tearing it open eagerly he was momentarily stunned when he saw a framed photo. It was of him and Fleur and they were both sitting on the floor. His arms wrapped around her and she was cuddled up against his chest. He realized that this was probably taken back when they had fallen asleep on the day that he had spent the night with her. Even as he watched his photo-self kissed the topof her head and tightened his arms around her, grinning up at him while she smiled shyly at him.

He set the photo on his bedside table next to the one of his parents who immediately waved at them. After watching the two photos for a whilelost in his own thoughts he got up and after dressing in warm clothes he left, climbing out of the portrait hole and happily wishing the Fat Lady a Merry Christmas.

In all his memory he had never seen the castle this crowded on Christmas day. People were tearing up and down the corridors with charmed snowballs they had brought in from outside and shouting at the top of their voices. Filch was running around, screaming in fury as the floor was getting dirty with all the melted snow. The teachers were trying to restore order too although none of them looked like they had the heart to do it.

Down at the Great Hall he had just reached the Gryffindor table when Fleur threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and knocking the wind out of him. Laughing he lifted her off her feet while she shrieked in surprise. Setting her down he noticed she was already wearing the silver bracelet he had given her and on her other hand she held a beautiful silver flower which he had carefully charmed. The bracelet was plain but it had an intricate design to it.

"Merry Christmas. And thank you." He murmured, gazing at her while she said something fast in French. He grinned as he gazed at her, her blue eyes gleaming beautifully. Whenever she got excited she kept speaking in French without her knowledge. Before he knew it she had pressed her lips against his and he responded enthusiastically, pulling her closer to him. Their moment was interrupted by a loud clearing of a throat however.

Blushing brightly they broke away and gazed down at the Gryffindor table. He just noticed that everyone else were already seated, staring at them.

"It's like we're not even there." Fred said, shaking his head.

"C'mon guys, control yourselves. I'm too young to see this." George said with a mock horrified look.

"Thanks for presents by the way mate, you'll forgive us if we don't thank you like Fleur did right?" Fred asked with a worried look causing everyone to burst out laughing, even Harry and Fleur despite their faces still being bright red.

"I wouldn't mind." Caroline said seductively with a wink which made Fleur glare at her while the laughter increased.

"Thanks for ze presents 'Arry." Amy said happily while the others added in their thanks making him smile and nod his head as he and Fleur slipped into their seats.

"You guys too." Catching Hermione's eye who was seated a little away from them with Neville and Lavender he grinned and mouthed "Merry Christmas" which she happily returned.

The rest of the day flew by fast. Everyone were excited with the prospect of the upcoming ball and quite honestly, Harry was getting increasingly nervous. Fleur seemed to be a little more nervous too as the time to the ball kept drawing closer, both of them catching each other's eyes and looking away in embarrassment. Finally the twins dragged everyone outside where a large scale snowball fight erupted which lasted until about 3 in the afternoon until the girls decided to start getting ready leaving the boys speechless.

"Why would zey need 5 'ours?" Jean asked in confusion, paying for his lapse in concentration by receiving a face full of snow with a well-aimed hit from George which immediately resumed the fight, lasting for another hour.

Harry trudged up to the Gryffindor tower soaked from head to foot in snow and shivering slightly. When he was on the 3rd floor however he saw Lupin who was making his way back upstairs and after staring in astonishment ran after him.

"Remus! Hey!" Lupin turned around, smiling brightly.

"Harry! Whoa there…" He chuckled when Harry threw his arms around him. "Merry Christmas pup."

"Thanks, you too. When did you get back?" He asked as they resumed making their way back upstairs.

"Just now actually. Snuffles is waiting for me, want to come up to see him?" Harry nodded eagerly and they proceeded to the Room of Requirement.

"Remus what did Dumbledore say…" Sirius asked distractedly as soon as the door opened then catching sight of Harry his face broke into a wide grin and hurried forward, hugging his Godson.

"All set for the ball?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows. Harry nodded nervously.

"As much as I could hope for I guess." Lupin clapped him on his back.

"You'll be fine."

"Yeah, you better not do anything to embarrass her or yourself." Sirius added.

"Sirius...stop scaring him." Lupin said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Listen, come here around 7. We'll make you presentable to your mistress. I might have some pointers to sweep her off her feet." Sirius muttered, ruffling his hair. "Gotta do something about 't keep it messy today."

"Alright." Harry grumbled. "See you later then." He said with a wave before stepping out of the room.

"Sirius, no matter how hard you try he's never going to be like you were. He's too much like Lily" Lupin said with a smile.

"I know that. But then again, I haven't exactly been around for him. Better start now." He murmured.

That evening the common room was a mess. All around them people running around, bumping into each other. Everyone were only half dressed and many were complaining about their dress robes.

"Bloody hell how does anyone expect us to move around in these?" Seamus growled, tugging at his dress robes. Ron had been standing in front of the mirror with a disgusted expression on his face, touching the white collar hanging limply on his chest. Harry had to stifle his laughter before he turned to his dress robes.

Pulling them on he was pleasantly surprised to find that they felt exactly the same as his normal school robes. He went to stand in front of them mirror and some of his nervousness went down. They fit him well, the green lining coincided perfectly with the color of his eyes.

"Where did you get those?" Ron asked abruptly and the whole room went quiet as Harry turned around slowly fixing Ron with a glare.

"Diagon Alley." He replied. Neville looked away and Harry could see that he was hiding a smirk. Ignoring there looks he pushed open the door and strode past the common room which was packed with people, ignoring the stares and Fred and George who wolf whistled as he approached.

"Have fun." The Fat Lady said with a wink when he climbed out of the portrait hole. Glancing at his watch he made his way to the Room of Requirement. Sirius and Lupin were already there when he entered.

"Hey, you don't look half bad." Sirius said ruffling his hair while Harry glared at his in annoyance and tried to tame his hair for probably the millionth time. Sirius pulled out a bottle which he recognized as hair gel. Looking at it wearily he looked up at Sirius with a questioning look.

"Trust me Harry, I know what I'm doing. I used to do this for James before he went out for his dates with Lily" Sirius said with a broad grin. Lupin nodded reassuringly from behind him and Harry sat down with a groan. Sirius pulled off the hair band, letting his hair fall on his shoulders. Then dipping his hand in the bottle he started attacking his hair with a comb and his free hand. After a few minutes he stepped back with a low whistle.

"Nice job if I say so myself Padfoot." Lupin said with a grin making. Sirius conjured a mirror and held it up to Harry and he stared back at his reflection, almost not recognizing it. His hair still was messy and stuck upwards however it now looked like it was done on purpose and had a more stylish look to it. A rather long strand of hair was lying gently on his forehead, covering his scar.

"Thanks." Harry said gratefully, moving to get his hair band before Sirius snatched it away from him.

"Nope, you're going like this today." He said with a grin.

"But Professor McGonagall will kill me." Harry moaned, reaching for the band while Sirius held it away from him.

"Not today Harry, trust us on this." Lupin said with a smile.

"Off with you! Go get her." Sirius exclaimed pushing him towards the door. "Oh and use protection by the way." He added.

"What?" Harry yelped before Sirius pushed him out of the door laughing loudly. Harry took a few moments to settle his emotions before taking a deep breath and walking downstairs.

When he reached the Entrance Hall he found that it was filled with people who were still trying to locate their partners. Trying desperately to find Fleur he quickly walked down the stairs, uncomfortably aware of the whispers and astonished looks he was getting coupled with giggles. Spotting Fred and Basile standing near the Entrance to the grounds he quickly made his way to them.

"Blimey mate, way to steal the spotlight." Fred said with a smirk. "What did you do to yourself?" He was spared from answering when footsteps behind them grabbed their attention. Harry felt his mouth go dry when his eyes fell on the silver haired goddess standing a few feet in front of them, looking like something straight out of a fairy tale.

She was wearing elegant silver robes which clung to her shoulders, exposing her neck. The necklace and bracelet he had given her clearly visible. Her sleek silver hair hanging smoothly down her back, reaching her waist. She was also wearing a pair of earrings which matched the color of her eyes just like the pendant on the necklace. She wasn't wearing any make up at all, unlike many of the girls he had spotted around the room but it only seemed to enhance her beauty. She had a faint, pearly white glow that was emanating from her, casting a light that had an almost hypnotic effect.

Her eyes widened in surprise when their eyes met. She walked up to him and he opened his mouth except no sound came out of it and he closed it immediately. Giggling softly she leaned closer to him.

"Zis is ze first time I 'ave seen you look at me like zat." Her words broke him out of his daze and after processing what she said immediately looked down in embarrassment. She smiled softly and lifted his face with her hand gently. "I like it." She whispered sending shivers down his spine.

"You are beautiful." He murmured quietly, staring at her eyes which were gleaming brightly and her cheeks colored a light pink.

"Oi! Lovebirds, you two have plenty of time for that later." George called loudly making them blush slightly and look around, their hands now firmly intertwined.

"C'mon Harry, don't we look good too?" Caroline asked and he just realized she and Aurélie had also arrived. Caroline and Aurélie were both wearing dress robes that were the same design as Fleur's except Caroline's was red and Aurélie's was blue.

"Both of you look amazing too." Harry said honestly with a short bow making them laugh. Caroline got a mischievous glint in her eyes and Harry immediately felt apprehensive.

"I will be expecting a dance from you Mr. Potter." She purred, batting her eyelashes.

"Hey! Stay away from our dates Potter!" Fred said loudly, standing in front of Caroline and pretending to shield her while the others started laughing.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Delacour, over here please." Professor McGonagall's voice rang loudly across the loudly. Harry and Fleur hurried towards her and joined the other champions. He and Fleur were placed in front of the group and behind them was Cedric and Cho who grinned at them as they came up. They had to wait a few minutes before Krum and his partner joined them and Harry's jaw dropped in surprise when he saw who his partner was. It was Hermione.

She looked a lot different than normal. Her normal bushy hair was straightened and sleek, much like Fleur's although it was nowhere near as long as hers. She smiled uncertainly at him when they approached and he grinned back, nodding at Krum who returned the gesture, looking as happy as he had been back in the Quidditch pitch.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and they strode in, Harry taking particular care in how he walked. Fleur caught his eye grinned slightly making his heart skip a few beats.

The four house tables were gone and the hall was littered with round tables where about six people could sit comfortably. The enchanted roof above them looked like a snowy sky, like something straight out of a Christmas card.

At the end of the Great Hall the rest of the teachers and the school headmasters and headmistress were seated already along with Bagman and to his surprise, Percy who waved cheerfully at Harry. Dumbledore's eyes twinkling brightly as he nodded at Harry and Fleur when they got closer. There were three empty tables fit for two near them and Harry and Fleur took the one on the right while Cedric and Cho took the one next to them, leaving Krum and Hermione to take the remaining one.

When all of the seats were occupied Dumbledore stood up, smiling at the occupants around the room.

"Welcome and a Merry Christmas to you all! Before we begin I urge everyone to dine, as experience has taught me, it is far better to enjoy a night on a full stomach rather than an empty one." Some of the students laughed and he sat down.

Harry looked down at his plate and noticed a menu lying on it and he curiously picked it up. Glancing up at Fleur who looked just as confused as he did and around the room.

"Pork Chops!" Dumbledore said clearly to his plate and food appeared. Getting the idea everyone else copied him. Harry looked at his menu, trying to decide what he wanted to eat and turned it around to look at the French and Bulgarian dishes.

"_Pommes Duchesse!" _Fleur said to her plate and she looked at him. "Don't know what to get?" She asked.

"Not really." He muttered, glancing at the front side again.

"Want to try somezing French?" She asked and he grinned.

"Sure!" She glanced at the menu and finally pointed at something on it.

"Get zis." Harry looked doubtfully at it before telling his plate. His pronunciation was horrible and the plate remained empty. Fleur dissolved into a fit of giggles and he looked at her pleadingly.

"Don't laugh." He whined. After she had calmed down she started teaching him to pronounce it. It took him a couple of tries but he finally managed it.

"_Bien!"_She exclaimed and he grinned.

"Who is zat? I feel like I 'ave seen 'im before." She asked after a few moments. Harry turned in the direction she was pointing and saw she was gesturing at Percy.

"Oh yeah, you did. That's Percy. He's one of the Fred and George's brothers. He was there in the top box with us."

"Oh, now I remember! 'E 'as been looking at us for a while now." She added as an afterthought. Harry groaned.

"He's probably wants to find someone to talk to about his Ministry Work."

"And zat is?"

"Cauldron bottoms." He replied innocently and she burst out laughing. After the food had been finished and most of the plates in the hall were wiped clean Dumbledore stood up.

"May I ask everyone to rise?" He said with a smile. Once everyone were on their feet he waved his wand and about half the tables disappeared, clearing a space at the middle. A stage grew out from the side where some weirdly dressed people,wearing clothes that were torn in strategic places trudged up to it and picked up the instruments. From the cheers in the hall Harry gathered that they were some kind of Wizarding band.

Harry realized with a jolt that they were going to be opening the dance. Feeling extremely self-conscious and unable to look at Fleur they made their way to the dance floor, hearing familiar whistles and deciding that after this was over, Fred and George were going to die.

Fleur too looked a little nervous but he felt himself calm down when she smiled at him. Remembering what Aurélie had taught him, he intertwined his hand around hers and tentatively placed his free hand on her waist.

As the band began playing a slow tune they slowly started revolving on the spot. Fleur took the lead after a while for which he was grateful and he easily followed her through the steps. The room and its occupants faded out of his sight and his attention was focused only on Fleur.

Her face was alight with happiness. Her smile and the way her eyes never left his mesmerized him. They weren't even aware when they came to a stop and that the music had stopped. Blinking slightly they looked around in surprise as the crowd as everyone started applauding. Harry grinned in embarrassment. When he caught Aurélie's eye in the crowd and she winked at him.

More couples came up to the dance floor as another song started to play. Krum and Hermione had left and he turned to see what Fleur wanted to do. He would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy dancing with her.

"Err…do you want to keep going?" He asked nervously and she smiled softly.

"Yes." She murmured quietly. As they made their way back to the dance floor they caught sight of Aurélie and Basile, Fred and Caroline, George and Angelina and Amy and a boy from Durmstrang. They all had smirks on their faces when they came back to the dance floor although soon enough, both of them went back to their trance where everyone else were blocked out.

"I didn't zink you would be able to dance." She said playfully.

"Got to thank Aurélie for that." He said with a grin as he twirled her around. Her eyes widened in realization.

"You learnt from Aurélie!" She exclaimed. "You could 'ave asked me."

"I wanted it to be a surprise." He murmured. She grinned at him and rested her head on his, oblivious to the people staring at them.

"Thank you, but you didn't 'ave to." She whispered softly. His heart leapt as they stared at each other. Both of them had stopped dancing. A laugh next to them brought them back to reality and they looked around to see Caroline and Fred smirking at them. Both of them went red when they realized that many people were staring at them. Harry caught sight of Dumbledore and Madame Maxime who were looking happily at them. Dumbledore winked at Harry when their eyes met making Harry blush harder if possible.

On unspoken agreement both of them went back trying to find a table for them.

"Harry! Fleur! Over here." Cedric called from a corner in the room where he and Cho were already sitting.

"My, my, don't you two make a cute couple." Cho said slyly when they sat down, then started laughing as they looked away. "Same reactions too."

"Look at Professor Sprout!" Cedric exclaimed and they all turned towards the dance floor where Sprout and Moody were dancing. The poor woman looked scared out of her wits as she kept her gaze fixed on Moody's wooden leg which kept narrowly missing hers. "5 sickles says Moody will step on her foot."

"You're on." Harry said grinning. The four of them watched carefully, laughing occasionally at the other unlikely couples. One of the funniest was Hagrid and Madame Maxime. They were taking more than half of the dance floor to themselves and many of the couples dancing near them looked extremely nervous.

The song ended with no injuries and Cedric groaned.

"Pay up." Harry said with a smirk.

"Later."

"So cheap." Harry muttered shaking his head.

"Hey!" Cedric exclaimed in a mock hurt voice while Fleur and Cho laughed. They continued to watch the dance floor, occasionally pointing out some of the more amusing sights. Harry noticed Ron and Parvati sitting at the other end of the room staring at Krum and Hermione who were dancing in front of them.

When the band started playing slightly faster tune Fleur got up, tugging his hand.

"Erm…Fleur I only know one dance." He said uncomfortably.

"Doesn't matter." She said before pulling him with her. He looked imploringly at Cedric and Cho who shook their heads smirking.

Once they had reached the dance floor she led him through a dance which turned out to be nothing more than Harry trying desperately to avoid treading on her feet. When the music stopped she fell into a fit of giggles while he stared at her trying to figure out if he was amused or offended. The latter evaporated when she kissed him on his cheek, leaving him with an idiotic grin.

They were once again painfully aware that they were the focus of many eyes in the room and Harry felt a surge of anger that the thought. Didn't they have anything better to do than leave them in peace? Fleur seemed to be thinking along the same lines when she started pulling him towards the Entrance Hall.

"You sure you don't want to stay?" He asked her in surprise. Truthfully he couldn't wait to get out of there, the only thing that kept him back was because he liked dancing with her. But now it was less appealing to him because of the attention they were getting.

"Yes." She said quietly. They slowed their pace as they made their way outside. The grounds were littered with couples who seemed to be taking advantage of the darkness that surrounded them.

"We can go near the lake." He whispered hurriedly when they stopped, unsure of where to go as it seemed like there was no spot that seemed private enough. She nodded with a grin and they hurried towards their usual spot which was deserted as they had hoped.

They stood silently, watching the lake with the moon reflected brightly on it. Neither had let go of the other's hand the whole time. Harry glanced nervously at her who was lost in her own thoughts. He never wanted this to end, this was something he needed. He didn't know what he would have done this year if he hadn't met her at all. Indeed, he didn't know how he could keep going on without her anymore, it was like she was a long lost part that now filled the void in his heart that had been formed after everything he had to endure with the Dursleys and Voldemort.

How did she feel? He had a constant fear that she wouldn't feel the same way as he did. Although a part of him kept reassuring him that she did feel just like he did, although he couldn't explain it. The stares they were getting had only made him more aware to how they looked like to everyone else. He was still younger and still in school while she was already of age and would be graduating from school this year. Why would she want to be with him? She could have anyone she wanted.

Putting that aside he was a constant danger to others. There was definitely a reason why Dumbledore had suggested that he should be prepared. The attack at the World cup, his name coming out of the goblet, the incident during the first task, it all seemed to come together. Charlie almost lost his life that day.

He knew that he was already in love with her, he probably fell in love with her from the moment they had met at the World cup. This thought scared him. He was afraid of getting hurt. It was cowardly but he desperately wanted to avoid more emotional pain.

What happened with Ron and Hermione had affected him more than it should have, a lot more. Even though he had decided to forgive Hermione, and did, he knew that he couldn't return to how they had been the past three years. He was scared to think how he would feel if Fleur separated from him.

He didn't want to keep hiding things from her. She, Sirius and Lupin had become the most important people to him.

"What's wrong 'Arry?" A soft, melodious voice brought him out of his thoughts. He looked at her to see her watching him in concern.

"Nothing much." He lied. She smirked.

"You're a very bad liar." He sighed, scratching his head.

"I am aren't I?"

"What's wrong? I can see zat you are in pain." She murmured softly. "Let me 'elp 'Arry."

"I…" He began but his throat tightened. Her hand was gently caressing his cheek and she was gazing steadily at him. He had almost no control over his mind just then as he watched her eyes darken. There was something, some emotion behind her eyes he found all too familiar and yet he couldn't place it.

His thoughts were wiped from his mind when he felt her lips on his, her arms wrapping around his neck as his unconsciously wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Her unique scent overpowering his senses along with the sweet taste of her lips. Warmth was spreading through his body, it was almost like the feeling when he ate chocolate right after facing a Dementor except this was a thousand, no, infinite times better.

They pulled back when the need for air became overpowering. Her warm breath tickling his ear sending shivers of delight down his spine. He was caught by surprise when she tugged him back, capturing his lips with hers again. When they parted for the second time she placed her head gently on his chest while he tightened his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. It had a calming effect on him.

Suddenly she started giggling and he gazed down at her curiously. She moved them carefully towards the tree near them and leaned on him suddenly, blasting him with the full force of her allure making him temporarily lose his control and before he knew it, fall on the ground where he landed a little painfully with her on top of him. He groaned slightly and looked up at her who was still now laughing openly at him, her hair tickling his face. The sight was so cute that he couldn't help but be amused and slightly annoyed at the same time.

"What?" He asked a little defensively.

"'Arry Potter, ze boy who killed a Basilisk, faced down about a 'undred Dementors, a Dragon and you-know-who is still powerless against a woman." She had finally stopped laughing and was looking at him with an adoring expression. He blushed slightly, feeling her breath tickling his face from their proximity but refused to back down.

"Not just any woman, there is only one who can do that to me and I am looking at her right now." Her cheeks colored pink but she got a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Zis woman sounds interesting, anyzing you can tell me about 'er?" She asked playfully.

"She…is the most beautiful woman in the world. She is kind, smart, funny and she understands people well. She cares a lot about her family and is also the Beauxbatons school champion and…" His words caught up in his throat.

She lost the child like gleam in her eyes and looked at him curiously, waiting for him to go on. Using every bit of courage he had left he pushed on. "She's given me something that I never thought I could have. I still don't understand why she gave it to me even though I am a few years younger than her. I don't understand why she would choose me, when she could have someone better than me. When she deserves someone better than me." His voice gradually got quieter and quieter as he spoke until it became barely above a whisper.

She didn't say anything for some time and he found himself unable to look at her. He was afraid of what he might see on her face. He might see realization reflected on her face. He was afraid that she would . A part of him screamed at him, reprimanding him for bringing this up and yet another part of him assured him that it was for the best.

He felt a hand gently caress his cheek and after a few movements, he forced himself to look at her. He was startled to find that her eyes were teary. She leaned towards him and kissed him lightly. It wasn't as heated as earlier but it still sent shocks down his spine.

"'Arry…" She said quietly, drawing back a few inches. "Don't ever say zat again. You don't see what's in you zat everyone else does. You are not perfect, nobody is. But you are as close to perfect as anyone can ever be. I don't care zat you are younger zan me. Your eyes show your age 'Arry, and from zat I can see zat you are much older zan me." He opened his mouth to speak but she placed her finger on his lips, silencing him.

"You say zat I 'ave given you somezing zat you thought you never could 'ave. It is ze same for me. You proved I can be seen more zan just a Veela. And also don't forget zat I am now an adult. I make my own choices. I 'ave known for some time zat ze only one I want to be with is you, nothing will change zat."

"Nothing?" His question escaped him before he realized it. His voice was filled with hope and smiled gently at him.

"Nothing." She whispered. He suddenly smiled which made her heart skip a couple of beats. His bright green eyes were almost glowing, burning with happiness.

"I love you." He murmured. The words had escaped his lips before he knew it, he hadn't even been thinking about it. She stiffened in his arms and he immediately felt apprehensive. "I…sorry I…" She gazed at him with an unreadable expression, his words dying out on his throat. He knew it was useless now. He had laid everything out to her and it was no use denying it. He didn't even want to deny it, these were his true feelings and he didn't want to lie to himself or Fleur although he would have preferred he hadn't said that now.

They probably had been staring at each other for hours and they wouldn't have known it. Harry had almost lost hope, closing his eyes he mentally kicked himself.

"Do you mean it?" She asked. Her voice was barely audible and he almost didn't hear it. His eyes snapped open to find her blue eyes shining brightly. He gulped before he closed his eyes again, taking a deep breath.

"Yes." He said softly, keeping his gaze fixed on her. She remained frozen for a few more seconds before she closed the distance between them and tenderly kissed him. When they parted she had a single tear sliding down her eye.

"I love you too." She said softly. He felt a smile spread across his face, threatening to break his face. She too had a wide smile on her face and they remained like that, gazing at each other and completely oblivious to the blue glow that gradually getting brighter and brighter from Fleur's chest.

* * *

**AN: First off, lemme apologize for taking longer than usual to update. Summer has its ways of reshuffling priorities and my friends keep dragging me out of my nice, cool room and into the scorching hot sun I swear they kidnapped me a few times. **

**I was floored by all the responses I got from everyone. Each and every one of them made me extremely happy. I usually try to respond to any questions and stuff y'all put in but I'm pretty sure I've missed out this time. This is actually the first time in weeks I am touching a computer. It was only the phone + emails for me. Please don't hesitate to put in your thoughts, questions and even any ideas you guys have, I will try my best to respond.**

**Hope this chap was alright, left it off in a small cliffie. Guess the most that happened in this was that Harry and Fleur's relationship progressed a lot deeper. I know some of you might think that it was too soon, but I found it kind of fitting after the way Harry and Fleur had been building up since the beginning. Ah well aside from that, I promise more action and all that in the upcoming ones. I have changed a lot of things from canon but I will provide explanations and more info on those later on so please be patient for those. **

**I'm done for now, sorry if I bored everyone with my rant xD. Please review. They serve as a constant reminder why I should go and work on the next chapter. **

**Umm, one more thing. I'm too tired to read through this again. Hope I haven't made a lot of mistakes. I will reread this once I wake up and correct the stuff. I don't want to put off putting this up longer. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Dammit I'm running out of ways to voice…err type...my appreciation to everyone who reviews, follows, favs and reading this. Gonna stick to the generic method again, so thanks a lot guys :)**

**Nah, no need to put the italic statement here anymore. (Oh btw y'all know that I don't own this right? Other than the OCs and the plot I make from my twisted imagination. Just thought I'd drop this in since it's been awhile since I did my last disclaimer)**

"_Nothing?" His question escaped him before he realized it. His voice was filled with hope and longing. She smiled gently at him._

"_Nothing." She whispered. He suddenly smiled which made her heart skip a couple of beats. His bright green eyes were almost glowing, burning with happiness._

"_I love you." He murmured._

If the leaves would have rustled, if the wind would have chosen that moment to hum…In short, if there had been even the slightest noise just then, Fleur would have convinced herself that she had misheard him. As it was, at that moment the only sound that could be heard was the faint rhythmic beating of their hearts. Her own immediately started beating louder as soon as his words had left his lips that she was sure that even he could hear it.

For a few moments her mind ceased to function. She never dreamed that he would say this to her. As she watched, his brilliant green eyes dimmed slightly and he had a look of horror on his face. If this had been any other time she would have been laughing at the sight. His lips moved but she didn't hear him. She could only gaze down at him while her mind struggled to recompose itself.

He got a defeated look on his face and his eyes dimmed further. The sight made her heart throb painfully. She could see the sincerity behind his eyes. There was no deception. By the look of horror on his face he hadn't been meaning to say this but this only added to his honesty. He genuinely cared for her.

She never broke her gaze from his face as the torrent of emotions raged within her. With every passing second her mind was beginning to accept what she felt in her heart. The answer was becoming clearer. It was easy to accept it. She had never felt what she was feeling for him for anyone else before. It was an entirely new feeling, yet it was familiar at the same time. She knew then that the only person she would ever have these feelings for was for the one that she was gazing at right now.

She knew the answer for the question she was about to ask. The answer was plainly written in his eyes but she needed to hear it from him. Just as he had exposed himself to her, she was going to do the same for him.

"Do you mean it?" She was surprised she could even speak. His eyes snapped open and she was once again consumed by his mesmerizing gaze. He closed his eyes briefly before he opened them again. They were gleaming brightly again.

"Yes." It was like someone had lit fireworks in her mind. His eyes showed everything. Feeling her mind grow hazy she leaned forward and captured his lips with hers, her eyes slowly shutting. Warmth unlike anything she had ever felt before was spreading through her and she felt complete for the first time. Like she had regained a missing part of her. All of her past memories that haunted her ceased to exist, making her feel oddly light.

She drew back to look at him, still feeling the warmth in her chest which was growing with every passing second. She felt a tear sliding down her eye as she looked at him and voiced the thoughts that were literally screaming at her. The words that would change her fate from that moment on and tie it to the man she was gazing at.

"I love you too." She said softly. His face lit up like Christmas lights. He simply looked radiant at that moment and made a promise to herself then that she would do her best to make that same expression on his face appear more often. She felt her own smile widening as she gazed into the eyes of the man she had fallen in love with. The warmth she felt at her chest didn't disappear. Instead it felt like it was increasing steadily.

Harry frowned slightly and gently wiped away the tears that were falling from her eyes. She hadn't even been aware of the tears until he gently caressed her cheek. Closing her eyes she leaned into his hand, unseen by her his frown disappeared to be replaced by the same smile he had just moments ago. It was a few minutes before he moved his hand.

"Fleur?" He murmured and she opened her eyes, following his gaze towards her chest and gasped. Her necklace was glowing brilliantly. She gently tried to lift herself up and off his chest but something prevented her from doing so. She tried again and yet some unknown force seemed to be drawing her back to him.

Strangely, this did not panic her. Instead she welcomed the comforting sensation that was spreading through her. From the curious look on his face, he wasn't panicked either. Suddenly it hummed softly and a ray of blue light extended from her now brilliantly glowing necklace and wrapped around Harry's neck as his eyes widened.

Almost as soon as the blue light had wrapped around him, an emerald green light extended from Harry's neck and intertwined around the tendril of light connecting them. The light slowly dimmed after a few minutes as they both looked on in amazement. Once the light dimmed sufficiently she gasped, as an all too familiar object was plainly visible on his neck.

An identical necklace was now fastened around his neck. It was exactly the same as hers and the sapphire blue stone was glowing. She glanced down at hers and was shocked to find that hers had changed.

Instead of the sapphire blue stone, the stone was now a vivid emerald green which was also glowing. She found this color much more appealing for some reason.

"'Arry?" She whispered. "What 'appened?"

"I…I don't know." His face reflecting her emotions perfectly; Shock, bewilderment, awe and a slight hint of happiness although neither could explain what brought this on.

"Did you know about zis when you got it?" She asked curiously. He shook his head.

"No. Although…the shopkeeper did say something…" He frowned and remained silent for a few moments. "…He was surprised that I wanted this and said something about it being unique. And…he also said he'd like it if I introduced the one I gave this to the next time." He blushed slightly. "The color seems to have changed."

She grinned and gently trailed her fingers around his pendant. "Seems so." She said softly.

"Do you…not that I don't err…." Her smile widened as she watched him struggle. He looked pleadingly at her. "What I'm trying to ask is…do you want this one back? The blue one I mean."

"No, I like zis better." She said softly. "But if you want this one back…"

"No! I like this one. It..." Whatever it was, it was lost as he started mumbling and went quiet.

"What did you say 'Arry?" She asked playfully, seeing this opportunity to tease him a little. She knew he was uncomfortable from the way he kept avoiding her eyes. He mumbled something again, more audibly but it wasn't clear. "What is it?" She asked gently.

"It's the same. Same as your eyes." He said quietly. She rewarded him with a brief but sweet kiss and laughed when he blushed.

She slowly rolled off him and placed her head on his chest and draped her arm around him, smiling as he pulled her closer automatically.

"I got another Christmas present from you." He said softly. She reached up kissed his cheek and returned her head to his chest. There was no need to talk about what happened, it felt right. Right now both of them only wanted to enjoy the comfort of each other's company before they were forced to part ways for the night.

It was hours later when Harry escorted her back to the Beauxbatons carriage. They had spent the remainder of their time in comfortable silence, enjoying their moment of peace and the new feeling of the closeness they shared. They had advanced much further in their relationship and they both knew that it had become something special. It was a relationship that both of them were willing to do anything they could to protect.

She was extremely reluctant to part from him and she could see from his eyes that he felt the same. She couldn't rememberthe last time she had felt this happy. Half of her wanted to spend the whole night in his embrace as she had done once before but she knew it would only get them both in trouble. She was pleased however when he leaned in and kissed her softly before walking back to the castle after quietly bidding her good night. It had always been her that initiated physical contact between them.

Once inside her room she smiled fondly at her now emerald necklace as she lay down on her bed. Her thoughts filled with the raven haired wizard that she had come to love which carried onto her dreams as she drifted off to sleep. Tonight could not have been more perfect.

* * *

The object of the Fleur's affections was currently making his way back to the castle slowly. He had carefully tucked the necklace inside his robes as the glow would surely attract attention. There were still many couples milling about in the grounds but he didn't even glance their way. It was like he had a permanent smile etched on his face. People were staring at him as he entered the castle but he was still too focused on his thoughts on the silver haired witch to care.

He was brought out of his thoughts rudely by extremely loud voices. Recognizing one of them he sighed and quickened his pace. He didn't need to see or hear this.

Unfortunately for him though, said loud voices were coming from the foot of the marble staircase that led to the stairs to the rest of the castle and to add to his displeasure there was a crowd already gathered around the stairs, barring his way upstairs. Resigned to his fate he hung back in the crowd, waiting for it to end.

"Instead of being a jealous prat all the time work up the courage to ask someone to the ball the next time instead of ruining other people's nightsfor them Ronald!" Hermione screeched before she ran up the stairs and away from sight. A full ten seconds passed before the crowd burst into laughter at Ron who was standing with his gaze fixed at the spot where Hermione had been, his ears as red as tomatoes.

Harry wasn't laughing. But he sure to hell wasn't going to go up there and comfort the git. Even as he watched Ginny came running up to Ron to comfort him. As the crowd dispersed Harry felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Cedric grinning at him.

"So, before all this happened…why did you have that stupid grin on your face when you walked in?" His only response was to regain the same grin as all thought wiped from his mind again and drifted to Fleur. "Harry? Harry!" Cedric impatiently snapped his fingers and gazed at him.

"What?" He asked innocently. Cedric was watching him intently and his eyes widened.

"Merlin's beard…You two didn't…? I mean did you and Fleur err you know?"

"What? No!" Harry yelped, drawing stares from everyone around them.

"What is it then?"

"Definitely not what you're thinking." Harry shot back.

"Oh come on Harry you can tell me."

"Nothing happened! Where's Cho anyway? Were you waiting here for me just to ask this?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Oh no. She's talking with some people over there." He said pointing vaguely at the crowd behind them."I actually wanted to talk to you about something. I was trying to find you but then this whole thing between Granger and Weasley happened and pretty much drew everyone's attention." Cedric said sheepishly.

"What is it?"

"Listen, I didn't exactly get a chance to repay you for tipping me off about that Dragon." He said quietly. Harry waved his hand dismissively and grinned.

"It's alright. You would have done the same for me. Hopefully." Cedric clutched his chest dramatically.

"Ouch, that was a low blow Potter." Harry smirked. "But anyways, I take it you haven't worked on your egg right?"

"Not yet, I figured I'd start on it after Christmas. It just wails every time I try opening it." Cedric nodded knowingly.

"Well…if you ever need a bath, a good one mind you…you could just use the prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor." He winked.

"Huh?"

"Just take a bath and bring your egg along. Might help you think." Harry looked confusedly at him.

"Listen, I don't know where this is going but I am NOT playing for the other team."

"What! You're a right bastard you know…" Cedric growled when Harry started laughing.

"Alright, alright. Thanks I guess."

"Before I forget, password's _pine fresh_"

"Alright, thanks again."

"Gotta go then. See you later Harry. Hey! You might want to take Fleur with you when you go. That place isn't too small and it's private. Will save you a lot of trouble of sneaking around you know." He added with another wink making Harry blush crimson. After saying his good byes Harry trudged up the stairs.

Once inside the Gryffindor tower he hurried up to his dormitory ignoring the crowd that had gathered where most of the older Gryffindors were continuing the ball much to the disgust of the younger students.

Once he changed into his more comfortable night clothes he climbed onto his bed and shut the covers around them. He remained awake a long time, gazing at the glowing blue stone thinking about Fleur. He had always thought his life was unfair and had wished more than once that he could have just passed on with his he wanted to survive.

Something about her gave him hope for the upcoming years. When she had returned his feelings he knew that she had meant it. He couldn't describe it but he had seen the depths of her feelings for him. She had taken away his fears, his insecurities.

That night he couldn't have been able to think about Voldemort or the task if he wanted. Not that he had the slightest desire to do so. He wasn't even worried about the end of the year when the tournament would be over one way or the other. He knew that Fleur wasn't going to leave him behind. He thought for the first time of his life about the future, a time when there was no Voldemort. He could only see a smiling silver haired witch waiting for him.

* * *

The morning paper carried an unpleasant surprise. Harry had almost choked on his pumpkin juice when he saw the picture on the front page. It was of him and Fleur with their foreheads touching, gazing at each other while other couples were dancing around them with the headline, _Sparks of Romance at the Yule Ball._

"So you're off the market now?" Fred asked in a mock disappointed voice.

Harry had pushed the paper away from him when he had seen the word Veela come up more than once in the paragraphs. The paragraph starts with, _The boy who lived, ensnared…_that was enough to convince him he didn't need to read the rest to know what was written in them. The others had shared his disgust and hadn't read the paper at all.

He was worried about Fleur though, although in reality he needn't have wasted time worrying at all. Fleur hadn't reacted at all when she saw it. She merely pushed the paper away from her as Harry had done and kissed him, making sure to get his lopsided smile permanently etched on his face before starting to eat, diffusing the tension immediately.

"There's something different about you two." Caroline remarked. They had all finished eating and it was only Harry, Fleur, Caroline and Aurélie remaining at the Gryffindor table. They were allowed to visit Hogsmeade but Harry and Fleur had decided to stay behind and in a surprising move, so had Caroline and Aurélie.

"Such as?" Fleur asked, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder while he sighed contently, closing his eyes.

"This! What's going on here? Sure you two weren't too different before but now…" She seemed to struggling to find the words. _"I'll get it out later."_

Aurélie smirked. _"Our interrogation methods never fail after all." _Fleur couldn't help but shudder involuntarily. It would be less of a headache to just tell them and be done with it. It wasn't like they were going to hide their relationship after all.

Harry groaned, _"Stop dropping me out of the conversations like that." _He burst out laughing as the three witches stared at him in shock.

"'Ow did you? When…" Fleur started stammering but stopped when Harry wouldn't stop laughing.

"You three…" He choked while gasping for breath. "You should have seen your faces." Fleur tried and failed to look stern and poked him painfully on his ribs which immediately shut him up.

"When did you learn French?" Aurélie demanded. Harry grinned.

"I didn't. Well…not yet anyway. I just asked Basile to teach me how to say that sentence. You can see how useful it is."

"You prat!" Caroline was blushing. She was thinking back to how she had talked about her 'sensitive female stuff' with the others in French with Harry around. Her immediate thoughts when Harry had spoken in French jumped to exactly how openly she had talked about them and how much he had understood.

Harry glanced at his watch, it was still too early but he wanted to visit Sirius. He had a lot of things to talk about. He glanced at Fleur tentatively who smiled and nodded. He had told her he was going for one of his 'meetings' earlier.

Waving at Caroline and Aurélie he hesitated before he quickly kissed Fleur's cheek before hurrying away.

Back at the table Fleur's cheeks had taken on a rosy tint as she watched him disappear from view.

"_Never thought I'd see the day 'Arry did that." _Aurélie said with a smile.

Caroline was now grinning like the cat that ate a canary. _"That's it. Come on Fleur what happened yesterday? You were ecstatic in the morning and you two look like you've gotten even closer together than you were before."_

"_Shall we go back to our carriage?" _Aurélie interrupted and they looked around to see the usual 'Stalking/drooling squad' as Caroline so eloquently put it had appeared through the doors. They got up quickly and hurried out of the Great Hall and started on the familiar path to their carriage.

Once inside they made their way into Fleur's room and settled down comfortably on her bed. Caroline for good measure cast a locking charm and a silencing charm on the door.

"_Have any of you seen Amy anywhere?" _Aurélie asked thoughtfully. Fleur shook her head but Caroline grinned mischievously.

"_Last I saw of her was when she was leaving with her date last night. I don't think she came back here." _Aurélie sighed.

"_So she too then? We need to step up, looks like two of our friends have already beaten us to it." _She finished with a smirk at Fleur who only needed a few seconds to catch on to what she meant.

"_Nothing like that happened!" _She yelped.

"_Something did." _Caroline huffed, crossing her arms. _"Now tell us." _A smile played on Fleur's lips, something that was not gone unnoticed by either of the two witches which only raised their curiosity.

"'_Arry told me he loved me." _She said softly. Caroline and Aurélie stared at her for a few seconds before reacting.

"_What?"_They both yelled at the same time eliciting a laugh from Fleur. Then she launched into a brief rundown of what the two had talked about after they had left the ball.

"_Wow…" _Caroline muttered with a glazed look after she finished.

"_It's actually sweet how it just slipped out." _Aurélie giggled while Fleur nodded with a smile, remembering the memory.

"_You're really lucky." _Caroline said with a hint of envy in her voice.

"_I know." _She murmured.

"_You going to tell your parents its serious now?" _Aurélie asked. Fleur thought about it for a moment. She had already written to her parents after the first task and told them that they had begun dating. Both her mother and father had been happy for her and something told her that they would approve.

"_I don't think I will tell them right now. I mean, I don't want to tell them about this over a letter." _

"_Oh yeah, they're coming around May or June right?" _Caroline asked, conjuring a pillow and settling it behind her. She nodded.

"_Oh! I almost forgot." _She exclaimed before bringing out her necklace from under her robes and showing it to them.

"_Isn't that your...its green now!" _Aurélie exclaimed, grabbing it and pulling Fleur with her making her gasp as she almost choked her. _"Sorry." _She said sheepishly.

"_How did it change?" _Caroline asked.

"'_Arry doesn't know either. It after we…" _She blushed making her two friends smirk knowingly. After she finished recounting what happened both girls were eyeing the necklace wonderingly.

"_So 'Arry has one too now?" _Aurélie asked.

"_Yes. His is blue now." _

"_That's so romantic." _Caroline squealed making her blush again but she couldn't help agreeing.

* * *

It took a long time to for Sirius and Lupin to stop their laughter after Harry had finished recounting everything although he avoided the finer points, much to Sirius's annoyance.

"Stop laughing." Harry muttered, annoyed as a small blush was creeping up his face.

"Sorry Harry. But you have no idea how close you were to scaring her off were you?" Sirius said cheerfully. "Oh don't worry, there's no chance of that happening anymore and you've got yourself something almost every man in the world chase after." He added, catching the horrified look on his face.

"It was kind of different for James though." Lupin said smiling fondly. "He started pursuing Lily with the words 'I love you' from the beginning. That might be why she wouldn't come near him until our 7th year." Sirius nodded.

"Yeah, I remember telling him off for being so direct with her. He wouldn't listen at all."

"She didn't go out with him until 7th year?" Harry asked in surprise. He knew they had gotten engaged right after they graduated from Hogwarts.

"You have to understand. You do not court a young lady with the words 'I love you' from the beginning. Take this from an experienced Marauder. James was an idiot when it came to women. He was lucky that Lily decided to give him a chance." Sirius explained.

"Well, you have nothing to worry about Harry. Congratulations by the way" Lupin said cheerfully. Sirius turned to him, his expression serious (pun not intended).

"You really sure about this girl then? You can't go around lightly after you say something like that to a girl" He said.

"Yes, she is the only one I've ever felt like this about Sirius. I don't think I ever will for anyone else." Harry said quietly, his embarrassment clearly visible on his face. Sirius's face broke into a wide smile."I won't lie, I envy you pup." Harry couldn't stop his own grin that spread across his face.

"Thanks."

"How is she?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows making Harry groan loudly and Lupin chuckle.

"Such a dog." Harry muttered. He immediately turned into his Animagus form and barked before turning back with a huge grin on his face.

"Guilty as charged." After the laughter died down Harry looked nervously between Lupin and Sirius.

"Is it alright if I introduce her to you two?"

"I'd like to meet the woman my godson is courting." Sirius said after a few moments. "But you sure she won't mind? Mass murderer here you know." He finished with a grin.

"Yeah. She will understand." Harry said quickly. Lupin nodded approvingly.

"Shouldn't be a problem. And aren't the Delacours…?" Lupin trailed off looking at Sirius. Harry too looked curiously at Sirius whose smile widened.

"I know Dominique Delacour." Harry stared in amazement.

"You know him? Isn't he the…"

"Head of the Auror department in France? Yep."

"How?"

"I met him back when I was at my 2nd year in Hogwarts I think." He said thoughtfully. "My family…" Harry didn't miss the disgusted look that came on Sirius's face. "Had a social gathering for all the 'important' people from the English, French and Bulgarian big three or something like that. He came with his father who was also the head of the Auror Department at the time. We became good friends after that. Stayed in touch ever since."

"Even now?" Harry asked perplexed.

"No, haven't seen him ever since I was carted off to Azkaban. His wife is one beautiful woman." He added with a grin and suddenly slumped his shoulders dejectedly. "I can't believe the son of my best friend is ending up with a beautiful woman too. Talk about getting beaten two generations in a row." This was too much for Lupin who started laughing uncontrollably eliciting a grin from Harry.

"So…?" He looked expectantly at them.

"Yeah sure, I'd love to meet her. You better tell her about me beforehand though. I don't want to get burnt to ashes when she finds her boyfriend has lessons with a known madman." Harry nodded smiling.

"So…all that aside. Harry? Have you started on your egg yet?" Lupin asked.

"No. Not yet. I did get a clue though. I'll give it a go tomorrow or day after."

"Don't keep putting it off though. You might need a lot of time to work out the meaning." He said warningly.

"Yeah, yeah." Harry muttered under his breath. "Oh, and there's another thing I forgot to mention. I had a…I don't know what it was but…" He went on to describe the vision with Voldemort and about the servant at Hogwarts.

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Sirius asked after a long moment of silence when he was done.

"I kind of forgot." He said sheepishly. "I went to see Dumbledore right after I saw this but he wasn't there at the time. After that…well…"

"Harry…" Lupin's voice was strange. "Are you sure you saw Greyback?" He nodded.

"Who is he?"

"Fenrir Greyback." Sirius growled."He was one of the only Death Eaters that weren't caught and also one of the most vicious. He's also a Werewolf." Harry gasped. Sirius looked at Lupin who had been staring at the fire, lost in thought.

"It was Greyback that bit me." He muttered. Catching the look of horror on Harry's face he grimaced. "Back when Voldemort was in power he saw it as his job to turn as many people as possible into Werewolves for Voldemort's army. I remember thinking that it was by mistake that he bit me but I found out later that I was targeted by him. My father always stood up to Voldemort and he crossed him somehow."

"He's really dangerous Harry. We need to inform Dumbledore about this as soon as possible." Sirius said. "But dammit that old coot keeps disappearing off again and again." He growled in frustration.

"This servant in Hogwarts. You didn't hear any names…anything?" Lupin asked. Harry shook his head.

"Nothing. He just said that he was losing control of him and that he was to be taken care of. It can't be Karkaroff can it?" He asked looking at both of them. He knew from them that he was a Death Eater.

"No. That won't doesn't make sense. I know Karkaroff." Sirius muttered darkly. "He's a coward. He doesn't have enough guts to fight against anyone. If it was him he definitely wouldn't defy Voldemort."

"Did you have any more of these…visions?" Lupin asked.

"No. After that they were just like the rest. Only dark shapes."

"We need to step up on your Occlumency training." Harry grimaced. He still hadn't completely mastered and he wasn't a fan of the headaches that came with it. "In fact, we'll start on it tonight. We need to go Sirius." He added glancing at his watch and then up at Sirius urgently.

"Merlin's beard, its two already? Harry we'll see you tonight, gotta do something." Sirius said, getting to his feet with Lupin. Harry nodded and stood up with them. "Will you bring Fleur tomorrow? I don't think we will be here until 10 at least."

"Okay."

After they had left Harry had been pleased to find Fleur seated alone in the Great Hall reading a book. From her demeanor he knew she was annoyed.

"Sorry." He whispered apprehensively as soon as he reached brightened up when she pulled him down and pecked his cheek.

"Come on." She said, getting up and lacing her fingers through his and leading him out of the Great Hall with her book. He didn't miss the frosty glares she threw at some of the boys that were sitting at the Gryffindor table who looked slightly put out.

"Where we going?" He asked, grinning at her when they slowed their pace and walked slowly across the school grounds. It was pretty much deserted with almost everyone being in Hogsmeade and the younger students still back at home.

"You didn't 'ave lunch did you?" She asked softly.

"No but…"

"Zen we shall 'ave lunch." She said firmly tightening her grip and looking at him with a playful smirk. He couldn't help but smile fondly at her and nod. They walked in comfortable silence and led him to the Beauxbatons carriage where inside she led him to the smaller dining room where the plates were already laden with food.

They were done fairly quickly as neither had spoken much other than occasionally catching each other's eye and grinning before looking away. She then pulled him into her room where after locking the door and untying her hair, letting it flow back all the way to her waist, pushed him onto her bed before assuming her favorite position with her head resting on his chest with a content sigh.

Harry once again wondered how on Earth he managed to get someone like her to fall in love with him as he looked down at the mass of silver. He smiled unconsciously, remembering what Sirius had said. Then he realized with a jolt that they were alone.

"Fleur?" He murmured, wondering momentarily if she had fallen asleep. In response she shifted so that he could see her face which was watching him curiously. "You know how I keep going from time to time? The meetings…" She shook her head cutting him off.

"You don't 'ave to tell me 'Arry." She said gently. "As long as you're not doing anyzing reckless." He chuckled thinking about how he dueled with Sirius.

"I know I don't have to. But I want to." The smile that lit up her face stunning and he was briefly mesmerized by her before her lilting laughter brought him back to reality.

"I'm glad zat I can enthrall you every now and zen." She said softly making him blush. Then she settled her head back down on his chest, waiting for him to go on.

"Have I ever mentioned my godfather?" He asked suddenly.

"'E sent you your Firebolt right?"

"Yeah." He replied happily. Then he looked nervous. She noticed this and edged closer to him.

"What is it? If you're uncomfortable…"

"No." He shook his head. Taking a deep breath he looked straight at her. "My godfather is Sirius Black." She didn't look angry or scared, none of the emotions that he was expecting. Rather, she only looked surprised.

"I remember 'e was in ze news about murder a year ago."

He nodded. "Yes. But he's innocent." Without wasting time he launched into an explanation regarding everything that happened in his third year, leading up to how he and Hermione rescued Sirius from his fate.

"'E really cares about you." She said after he was done. He smiled at her, glad that she had accepted his story without question.

"I know. He's something, you'll see." She smiled at the way his eyes sparkled as he talked about his godfather. His fondness for him was obvious.

"I'd like to meet 'im sometime."

"How about tomorrow?" He asked, grinning at her.

"He's 'ere?" She asked in surprise.

"I've been meeting him and Remus since the start of the year. With everything that's been happening every year to me Dumbledore decided I could do with some preparing." She nodded sadly.

"But isn't it too much for you? You already 'ave your normal classes and now you are competing in zis tournament too."

"It's fine. I'm glad they're doing it for me." She gazed at him, her face expressionless although her eyes were gleaming more brightly than ever. Sighing softly she buried her face in his chest.

"I wish zere was some way for me to 'elp." She said quietly. She heard him mutter something so quiet that she didn't hear it and looked up to find him looking away with a small blush on his face. "What did you say 'Arry?"

"I said you already are helping me. In more ways than you can imagine." He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. She reached up and press her lips against his, smiling when she felt his hands wrap around her waist, pulling her gently towards him as her own arms wrapped around his neck. Gently she tugged off his hair band, letting his hair fall to his shoulders and allowing her to revel in the soft feeling of it.

They remained locked in embrace before she broke away and nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"Summer." She murmured. He glanced down at her but she didn't look up. "Zis summer would you come to France?"

He was stunned to say the least. But he couldn't think of anything better than spending summer with the person in his arms.

"You're asking? I…of course I'd like that. But I don't want to impose on your parents…"

"'Arry my parents would love to 'ave you over. I told zem a lot about you ever since we met. And you know zat you will 'ave to talk to zem soon right? About how zings are." She laughed at the terrified look that appeared on his face.

"Do you think they will be angry? I mean…with me being-oh no have they seen that newspaper article about the dance?" Harry asked in a panicked voice. Sure he had met them and they were good people, but which parent would approve of their eldest daughter having a relationship with someone like him?

"'Whether zey are angry or not I don't care. I 'ave already made my decision and I am of age. I already told zem zat we were seeing each ozzer after ze first task." She said softly with a small smile playing on her lips. "My mozzer teased me a lot about you and both her and papa were happy for me. Gabrielle was ecstatic about it too. So eet's safe to say you 'ave charmed my whole family."

Harry grinned cheekily. "But I only wanted to charm one of you." She grinned up at him.

"So you admit to pursuing me? I never would 'ave guessed you were ze type."

"I didn't mean that!" He squeaked and smiled in spite of himself when she dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"I zink I will keep you after all." She said, kissing his cheek.

* * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon inside her room. Neither of them wanted to move an inch and they both enjoyed listening to each other. The occasional kisses were an added bonus and even Fleur found herself blushing whenever Harry kissed her.

When the two came back to the castle for dinner they were confronted by an extremely flustered Professor McGonagall who demanded that they fix their appearance before entering the Great Hall. Both turned red when they realized what the Professor was getting at.

Inside they were greeted by open stares and whispers. It seemed that their relationship was now 'official'. Harry found this thought oddly relaxing as they walked hand in hand towards the Gryffindor table, he didn't even want to think what he would do to anyone that approached Fleur.

Fleur on her part had similar thoughts on her mind. She loved Harry but he was a little thick headed and never seemed to notice the longing gazes of the girls around him. The lust filled stares from the male population was still present but it didn't bother her at all now. This was a good thing but all the same, she tightened her grip on his hand possessively as they slid into the empty seats in the Gryffindor table.

"That Skeeter woman was all over Hogsmeade looking for the two of you." George said as soon as they were seated.

"Hasn't she done enough damage already?" Harry growled.

"Try to keep avoiding her. She cornered Bagman today at the Three Broomsticks. He didn't look too happy after that." They were interrupted when Amy came in with her boyfriend who she introduced to the whole group. He was rather pleasant and his accent was a lot like Krum's and the rest of their time was spent watching in amusement as Caroline teased both of them, surprising everyone with the details which by the looks of horror on Amy and her boyfriend's face, were proven true.

Harry noticed during dinner that Hagrid wasn't up at the staff table and made a mental note to visit him the next day. He also had the egg and Cedric's clue nagging at the back of his mind. He decided he would check it out later today. Having Occlumency lessons meant that he would hardly get even a wink of sleep if the headaches started.

After quietly telling Fleur he needed to go and bidding her and the others good night he hurried off to the Gryffindor tower where he stuffed the egg, Invisibility cloak and the Marauder's map in his bag and took off to the Room of Requirement. Once inside he set his bag down and sank into one of the chairs, waiting for Sirius and Lupin.

He had been hiding it, but ever since he came back into the castle his vision had kept blurring out at times. Fleur seemed to notice it at times because she kept eyeing him worriedly but she never commented on it.

This wasn't like the time before when he had the vision with Wormtail and Greyback. Instead of seeing blurry shapes, his vision would suddenly black out and he would suddenly be staring at an eerie white tree that had no leaves on it. Something was giving him a bad feeling and he wondered if he should tell them about it or not.

Once they arrived he acted as if nothing was wrong and calmly did everything as Lupin told him. He succeeded in repelling him multiple times and wanted to keep going but Lupin stopped him.

"Is something wrong Harry? I usually wouldn't let you go on for longer than half an hour but you seem to be pushing yourself too much today." He asked, his voice etched with concern while Sirius watched quietly.

Harry had sweat pouring down his face. He had indeed been ignoring the throbbing headaches that had now become far too painful for him to keep his eyes open. He was now sitting on the chair with his eyes closed. He couldn't repel it. It was like there was _nothing _to repel, there was no external intruder. He couldn't explain it and something told him he shouldn't.

"No, nothing's wrong." He said faintly.

"Alright that's enough." Sirius said. "I want you back in bed now. Got it?"

"Yeah…sure." He muttered. Once they were gone Harry trudged wearily back to the Gryffindor tower. He had been meaning to go the fifth floor and see if Cedric's clue meant anything but he felt like he would faint at any moment. He had barely climbed in through the portrait hole when he fell forward, collapsing on the floor.

* * *

A white tree was standing eerily in front of him. He was standing in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing to be seen for miles except for the tree in front of him and the sky was an inky black. The tree had no leaves on it, the branches were sticking out menacingly._Such a pity _he thought. _It would have been beautiful to look at. _

"Indeed it would." A quiet voice agreed and he whirled around to find himself staring at a tall cloaked figure that bore a startling resemblance to a Dementor. He reached for his wand but found that his pockets were empty and took a step backwards while the figure watched silently. He felt a measure of calm settle over him immediately and instantly he knew that the figure didn't mean him harm.

Harry stared at it, waiting for what…he didn't know. The figure just stared blankly back at him. He couldn't see any eyes but he felt the penetrating gaze. It was like it could see through him, into him, beyond his outward appearance. It felt like it was staring at his soul.

Finally unable to take the silence he opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. The figure watched him in amusement as he tried again.

"Who are you?" It was strange, but he felt like if he could see under the hood, the face would probably be smiling.

"I…" The voice was low, distant as if it was coming through a veil. "Am an old friend."

Harry found himself nodding, as if he had just confirmed his suspicions. Momentarily surprised by his own actions he looked around, taking in the surroundings before his eyes finally came to rest on the tree again. "Where are we? Is this a dream?"

"If you want it to be." He sounded amused. Harry stared blankly back at him, waiting for him to elaborate. "Very well, I would say this is the plane which connects the living to the dead." Harry looked around at the empty plains and felt his own amusement growing.

"Bit dreary don't you think?" The figure chuckled.

"I believe so." Harry sighed, turning around to stare at the tree. There was something about it that demanded his attention.

"So does this mean I'm dead?"

"No. Your time has not come yet." Harry turned around.

"Why am I here then?" He didn't answer for a few moments.

"Why you are here…that is for a later time. But for now let's just say I will be closely watching you. Your way forward leads only to one end and yet your path continues on beyond that. What had once been clear is now shrouded in darkness." He could have sworn that the figure's face looked like it was smiling."Suffice to say I am intrigued." Harry felt strangely calm hearing this and he was surprised when he felt a small smile playing on his lips.

"You will always have a hard time with me old friend." The figure nodded in amusement.

"You were the Wisest of the three brothers after all." The tree and the figure started fading away slowly. "It's time for you to return." Harry nodded, and before he knew it he was surrounded darkness.

* * *

"Harry? Harry!" A voice was frantically calling out to him. He groaned softly and slowly opened his eyes.

"Is he alive?" A higher voice asked.

"Harry! Get up!" His vision was still blurry and he realized he didn't have his glasses on anymore.

"Glasses." He muttered, reaching out with his hands before he felt someone gently push put them onto his eyes. He found himself staring at Katie who was watching him closely while Fred was standing behind her. Both of them looked extremely worried and before he could speak Katie was hugging him tightly.

"You feeling alright?" Fred asked, crouching down next to him and Katie let go of him. He nodded unconsciously. His mind felt disorganized. He could distinctly remember a white tree but nothing else.

"I..." He looked around. They were in the Gryffindor common room, right in front of the entrance. "I'm alright."

"Bloody hell Harry. We just came in about a minute ago and you were on the floor. You had no pulse for god's sake!"

"I…fainted?" He asked looking at them both. It was confusing, a number of images were on his mind and the tree kept coming up. He could also remember a black hooded figure now. A Dementor?

"You tell me." Fred said grimly. "Come on, we're going to the Hospital Wing."

"What? No I…"

"Harry, you were dead when we came in." Katie said worriedly. Her eyes were wet and he immediately felt guilty.

"I'm fine. I think I just fainted, and besides I don't want to bother Poppy now."

"Harry…" Fred began.

"No…please I…I think I just need to lie down." The two continued to argue and only when Katie threatened to tie him up and levitate him out did he give in.

"Why am I not surprised to see you back here." Poppy remarked, shaking her head and letting Fred and Katie lower him into a bed. They insisted on staying with him until she was done with her checkup and she frowned.

"Well…there's nothing wrong with you as far as I can say." When Harry tried to get up he was immediately pushed back down by Katie while Poppy nodded approvingly. "That doesn't mean you're going anywhere. You will spend the night here." There was no room for arguing and Harry slumped, defeated. "And you two better get back before you get in trouble."

"Umm, don't tell Fleur about this?" Harry asked in a small voice. Fred's face immediately cracked into an evil grin.

"What will you give me for keeping this incident from her?"

"We won't as long as you stay here and don't come back until you're better." Katie said, cutting Fred. Harry nodded gratefully and she smiled and squeezed his hand reassuringly they left. Poppy pushed a steaming goblet in front of him.

"Drink that now!" Harry sighed before drinking the potion which tasted pleasantly like orange juice. He was only halfway through the contents of the potion when he felt his eyes shut slowly and felt a hand gently take the goblet from his hand before he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next day Harry woke up around 9 in the morning and protested loudly against having breakfast in the Hospital. Finally after 10 minutes of bickering she gave in as there was really nothing wrong with him and he delightedly took off hurrying down the stairs.

He still had only flashes of what he had seen last night. He knew it wasn't a dream, if it were it would already have begun fading from his memory. On the contrary he felt like he was remembering more and more of what he had seen although for now he could only distinctly remember a white tree and figure that closely resembled a Dementor.

The Great Hall was packed with students when he entered and was momentarily surprised before he remembered the younger students were back from home. He slipped into the seat beside Fleur who had a worried expression on her face until she spotted him andperked up, kissing his cheek.

"'Morning." He said quietly to her while he was inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. It seemed Fred and Katie hadn't told her. He shuddered to think what she would do to him if she found out he had earned another trip to the Hospital Wing.

"Umm Harry?" George said apprehensively, handing him a letter. Frowning he saw it was a letter from Mrs. Weasley and he didn't miss the worried looks on Fred and George's faces when he opened it.

_HARRY JAMES POTTER_

_What do you think you're doing with that girl from that school? She is older than you and she's a Veela no less! Remember this young man, you shouldn't go chasing after some woman just because she has a pretty face and you shouldn't be getting that close with foreigners. Hasn't it occurred to you that she is using you for your fame? I thought you had more sense than this! _

_I want you to put it in writing and send me a letter stating that you will not continue to see this woman. I expected better from you. Your parents would be shocked! Please understand that I am only doing this for your own good and because I look out for you as my own son. _

_Love, _

_Molly Weasley._

The group had gone quiet as they watched Harry who was still staring at the letter, his expression unreadable. Fleur who had caught a glimpse of the letter had read on as Harry had made no effort to hide it. She was hurt by the letter to say the least. It was exactly like what was mentioned about her in the papers but she had always brushed it off. But seeing this letter which was written personally to Harry demanding him to stay away from her scared her. She couldn't help it as a tiny part of her feared that he would indeed go along with what this woman was asking him to do.

He had let go of her hand and almost everyone down the table were watching curiously now. The air had gone strangely still and there was an unnatural coldness that had settled in. Fred and George especially looked worried, scared even. Suddenly the letter flew from his hands into the air and it burst into bright emerald flames. The heat from the flames was enough to make most people cover their heads with their arms to protect themselves from the scorching heat.

The Hall had gone completely silent and almost every single person were staring at Harry who had his gaze fixed upwards where the letter had been just seconds ago before it disintegrated in the flames. He slowly turned to her, almost as if he was afraid of looking at her and she was startled to find there was a single tear sliding down his eye. His face betrayed his emotions, anger, fear and sadness. He stood up quickly and walked silently down the aisle between the tables before breaking into a run near the entrance. He disappeared from view, in the direction of out of the castle.

Fleur sat rooted on the spot. It had been a while since she had seen that expression come on his face, the last time she had seen this was when he had told her about what happened between him and his ex-best friends. The fact that he looked scared when he looked at her shocked her more than ever.

The whispers that broke out around them brought her back to reality and she quickly stood up, running after him. She knew exactly where he was going.

When she was getting nearer to the secluded spot by the lake she slowed down and approached quietly. Sure enough he was there, sitting against the tree with his knees drawn up to him with his arms tightly drawn around him. He didn't look up when she approached and sat down next to him. She felt her chest tighten when she saw there were several tears sliding down his cheeks as he stared into the lake.

Deciding that she would give him some time she waited for him to speak. After what felt like hours he spoke, his voice coming out low and lifeless.

"Sorry." She stared at him.

"Why are you apologizing?" She asked softly. He didn't speak for a few moments.

"It isn't fair. What these people are saying about you. If it weren't for me you wouldn't need to deal with everything people are saying."

"'Arry…" She murmured, gently wiping a stray tear on his face. She slowly crawled in front of him. He refused to look at her but she pulled his face to her. "Why are you afraid?" He didn't answer, yet he didn't look away. It was the fear in his eyes that worried her the most. "Tell me what's wrong?" She whispered pleadingly.

It was a long time before he answered. "I'm afraid that you will not be able to take it anymore." His voice sounded broken. "If you went with anyone other than me you wouldn't have to face what these people are saying about you."

She wanted to slap him at that moment and she almost did. The only thing that held her back was the pain reflected in his eyes. "Listen to me 'Arry Potter. Do you zink zat I am a weakling zat needs protecting?" She asked. Her voice so cold that Harry felt shivers run down his spine.

"No! I…"

"Zen what is it? Why do you keep apologizing for everyzing? Why are you letting zese people ruin what you and I 'ave?"

"I'm not!" He sounded wounded, more broken than she had ever heard him but her own anger was building too.

"What is it zen?" She asked, glaring at him. His eyes locked with hers and for a moment neither said anything.

"I'm afraid that you will leave me." He said quietly, his shoulders slumping dejectedly. "I'm afraid that this will become too much for you. I have seen what they write about you in those papers, I know what the people here say about you." She felt her anger vanish without a trace as she realized what he was talking about. It was his greatest fear, being left alone again.

Not knowing how else to comfort him she pulled him into a hug before kissing him soundly, trying to convey as much as she could of her feelings for him. She had to make him understand she wasn't going to leave him.

After several long moments she pulled away and opened her eyes to find herself staring at the bright green eyes she loved.

"I won't leave you." She whispered. "I 'ave already made my decision. Nozzing will make me change it. Zey won't understand our feelings 'Arry. No one ever will and we shouldn't waste our time trying to convince zem." She smiled lightly, "You are also forgetting zat eet was not so different back in Beauxbatons for me. I'm no stranger to what zese people are saying. Eet is what we must endure for being what we are. I don't care anymore because I 'ave you and you shouldn't either."

His face lit up with the same happiness, if not more than the day she had returned his feelings. It was infectious and she felt her own smile widening. Suddenly he grabbed her making her squeak in surprise as he pulled her onto him and wrapped his arms around her protectively. He didn't say anything but he didn't have to as she closed her eyes and snuggled into his embrace.

It was a very happy couple that returned to the castle later that day. They met Fred and George along the way who immediately started apologizing with worried looks on their faces that were so unlike them.

"Eet's alright." Fleur said softly and Harry nodded. Instantly the two looked relieved.

"She sent us a letter too, asking us to make sure you two were apart." Fred said angrily.

"Yep, and we kindly told dear mother to sod off." George added.

"Apparently she has been asking Charlie about her although he too I believe, kindly told her to stop meddling." Fred said with a grin. "Oh, and he and Bill sends their congratulations and Bill told me to tell you, 'It was a close run.'" George rolled his eyes.

"Tell them we said thanks." Harry said grinning.

"Will do Harry. Blimey, we don't want to get on your wrong side anymore." George muttered with a fake shiver.

"Yeah." Fred chimed in. "Those green flames were wicked! How did you do it?"

"Wandless too." George added. Harry scratched his head in embarrassment.

"I dunno. I wasn't really in control of myself at the time, Mrs. Weasley…" He stopped speaking and Fleur squeezed his hand reassuringly. Fred and George waved their hands.

"It's alright Harry, we know." Fred muttered.

"Yeah. We're just glad you didn't storm off to burn her up." George added with a grin. Harry smiled uncertainly.

"Keep him out of trouble, he's a handful." Fred added cheerfully to Fleur. She grinned and nodded and the twins took off.

After lunch they spent the rest of their time with Aurélie and Caroline (Amy had once again disappeared with her boyfriend). They considered staying in the library but left hurriedly when the books started leaving the bookshelves after growing small arms and legs before things could get hairy. Outside they spotted Fred, George, Jean and Basile who were shaking in laughter listening to the old librarian's shrieks of outrage. Since it had been a long time since the four of them had spent time near the lake they did just that until it was time for dinner where they were joined by the others.

Afterwards Harry led Fleur upstairs, to the Room of Requirement where Sirius and Lupin were already there.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mademoiselle." Sirius said with a huge grin, striding forward and taking her hand. "I promise you everything you like about my godson is because of me." He added with a smirk. Fleur laughed while Harry scowled at him and led Fleur away from him towards Lupin shaking his head and muttering something about a lecherous dog.

"Eet's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin." She said, sitting down next to Harry.

"None of that, please call me Remus. I don't want to feel any older than I already am." Lupin replied.

"Seconded." Sirius added. "How's old Dominique doing?" Fleur looked surprised but soon they were talking happily everything that happened last year, how Sirius knew her father and the Marauders.

Harry was extremely happy watching Fleur talk with his two fatherly figures as comfortably as she was with her friends. It was finally well past curfew when they realized the time.

"You two had better get back or you'll be in trouble." Lupin muttered looking at his watch and glancing up at Harry and Fleur guiltily.

"Yeah, and Harry come a little earlier tomorrow. Got to resume our training. You are welcome to come too if you want." Sirius added to Fleur with a smile which soon grew into a smirk. "Although it might be better if you don't. I'm afraid Harry will not be able to keep his eyes on me. Can't blame him though."

"Sirius!" Harry yelled, tackling him to the ground while Fleur and Lupin watched in amusement.

"Careful pup, or I will mop the floor with you in front of her." He said laughing, pushing himself off the floor and helping Harry to his feet. "Off with you two then." They waved their good byes and after Harry had carefully checked if the coast was clear with the map they stepped out. Harry groaned suddenly coming to a stop as they walked down the dark corridor.

"What is eet?" Fleur asked quietly. For an answer Harry held up the map for her to see. Filch, Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick were all out patrolling the floors with the prefects. They had been inside well past curfew. "We'll get in trouble." She said worriedly. Then she perked up. "What about ze cloak?"

"I don't think it will cover us both." Harry said doubtfully, pulling it out. She grinned mischievously before grabbing it and throwing it over them, pressing herself as close as humanly possible to him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Now we're covered." She whispered in his ear. He shivered in delight when he felt her warm breath against his ear and it took him a moment to compose himself which wasn't easy because of the way he was reacting to the proximity. They set off slowly, managing to keep everything except their feet hidden which was quite an achievement.

Harry was getting increasingly uncomfortable. He couldn't decide whether he was in heaven or in hell, with her pressing herself so close to him it was torturous but at the same time it was the best feeling in the world. She knew exactly how he was feeling and made no effort to lessen his suffering, unable to stop smiling at the way she affected him.

It was a relief for him when they emerged out of the secret passageway leading to the grounds (the main entrance was locked now), enabling him to thrown off the cloak and her to part from him although she kept a firm hold on his hand.

"How are they?" Harry asked as they walked slowly across the grounds.

"I like zem both." She answered happily. "Sirius is a lot like Fred and George, Remus is a lot like my papa." He chuckled softly, nodding. She glanced at him, noting how his face had a permanent smile etched on it. She realized then how much her words meant for him and smiled unconsciously.

Once they reached the carriage she grabbed him, kissing him gently which grew steadily more passionate as the seconds passed. It was about a minute later when they broke apart, both extremely red in their faces and breathing heavily having run out of air a long time ago. After quickly pecking his cheek and whispering good night she slipped inside the carriage leaving him standing outside with an adorable grin on his face that made her want to pull him inside with her.

* * *

A few weeks later Harry had regained all his memories of the meeting with the hooded figure back. He couldn't understand what it meant. It was like an extremely bad case of déjà vu. He could remember every single thing he said and yet he had no idea why he said them. Why he kept referring to the figure as an 'old friend'.

Deciding to leave that for later he concentrated on Occlumency and his Dueling lessons. He had improved beyond recognition and he had become exactly what Sirius wanted. Unpredictable.

Sirius was cursing as he was forced to leap to the side, dodging yet another stunning spell that which instead of hitting his shield disappeared before coming into contact with it as the bright blue shield breaking spell shattered his shield into pieces. He only had a few seconds to push a cloak himself with a basic shielding charm when the stunning spell reappeared as a glowing red orb before it burst into multiple smaller pellets which dispelled his shield.

Before he even had time to breathe he heard a hiss near the ground and almost yelled in shock when he found a snake entwined around his legs, restricting him from moving. Instinctively he conjured multiple blocks of stone which hovered in the air for a few moments before each and every one of them burst into dust but it gave him the time he needed to kill the snake and free himself.

"_Impedimenta!"_He heard Harry yell and instantly flicked his wand, parrying the spell which flew harmlessly to the side. It was a reflex, he would normally dodge it. This whole time they had been in the duel both of them had been casting non-verbally. It took only a few seconds for him to realize his mistake as he tried to move, hastily conjuring up another shield which shattered again when the light in the room went out and they were plunged into darkness, something neither he or by the gasp of surprise from Lupin had been expecting.

The light flared back on, brighter than ever temporarily blinding him as he squinted, looking for Harry who had disappeared from view except for the stationary spells which were hovering directly in front of him and he conjured another shield before immediately backing away and sidestepping away from the line of fire, preparing for his shield to break again when he felt a sharp prod at his side and felt his arms and legs go rigid, making him fall over, stiff as a board.

Someone turned him around and suddenly Harry came into view, grinning widely as his face first appeared followed by the rest of his body. Everyone in the room were stunned into silence, he could see Lupin looking shocked behind Harry's shoulder and he felt the body bind lift off him. The silence continued for a few moments before he started laughing.

"That was a dirty trick, using a disillusionment charm." He choked out when Harry stood up and pulled him to his feet. Ruffling his hair he grinned widely. "But I'm extremely pleased with you. Tricks or not you beat me."

"That was an amazing bit of spell casting right there." Lupin said proudly. Harry's grin widened further if possible. "When did you learn all of that? Disillusionment charms? Conjuration?"

"Professor Flitwick's been giving me extra work since the stuff we do in class is…too boring for me. Professor McGonagall too." He replied cheekily. Lupin chuckled and looked at Sirius.

"We're helping raise another Marauder." Sirius nodded happily.

"Well, never thought you would be that type. I didn't think you would progress further in this time. What the hell have you been doing?"

"Just read a few books at night." He replied, suddenly looking sheepish. Sirius glared at him.

"You've been practicing magic again at nights? You…"

"I know my limits. I'm not doing anything stupid. And besides I have a lot of time with nothing to do." Lupin frowned.

"You're still having those visions?"

"No." This was not entirely truthful and from the looks of Sirius and Lupin's faces he knew they caught on. "Alright yes I am but they're only dark shapes and I've been doing everything from Occlumency I know. It just won't work sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Lupin asked puzzled.

"Yeah." He muttered, sitting down and taking a swig from the butterbeer on the table. "I think I've got Occlumency figured out now, I can tell when there's someone trying to enter my mind and I can organize my thoughts…" Here Lupin gave an approving nod. "…better. It helps a lot with the books and school work. There are just sometimes when no matter what I do I can't stop myself from seeing the stuff."

"I think we better see Dumbledore about this." Lupin muttered thoughtfully but Harry immediately protested.

"No, there's no need. It doesn't matter much anymore and it's become sort of a habit for me. I gotta go." He added, getting to his feet and glancing at his watch. Sirius looked surprised.

"Where? I need to even the score." Harry grinned.

"The egg." He answered. Sirius nodded in understanding and Harry waved at the two before leaving the room and walking quickly in the direction of the prefect's bathroom which was on the fifth floor. After checking with the Marauder's map to see if anyone was inside he quietly murmured _"Pine fresh" _and the door immediately opened enabling him to step inside before it shut, just as quickly.

The chamber was amazing to say the least. The floor in front of him was about the size of a small swimming pool which was at the moment devoid of any water and there were multiple taps at the side. The walls were covered with pictures depicting scenery from an underwater world complete with a pretty mermaid with long pink hair who yawned softly before waving at him shyly who grinned and waved back.

Then he opened all of the taps, amusing himself with the effects as some gushed brightly colored bubbles. It only took a few minutes before the 'pool' was filled and after gazing nervously at the painting where the mermaid blushed and nodded, hiding her face with her hands and he quickly slipped off his hair band and took off his clothes and stepped into the water.

"Err…you can open your eyes now." He called after ensuring that he was completely covered and she did, grinning widely at him before twirling her hair under her fingers. Unbidden he caught himself wondering how Fleur would look like wearing one of the muggle swim suits and felt the color rise in his face before shaking his head from side to side.

He turned around and grabbed the egg, wondering what he was going to do with it. Breathing deeply he opened it and immediately shut it as it burst into the same ear splitting screech as always. He heard a small giggle at his side and the mermaid pointed at the water and he quickly understood. Nodding his thanks he placed the egg under water and opened it and was immediately surprised when no sound came from it.

Taking a deep breath he put his head under the water and immediately heard a beautiful female voice singing.

_Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we've took,_

_But past an hour – the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back. (As seen in the GoF book)_

Harry frowned when he resurfaced. Before thinking he listened to the songs a couple more times to memorize it.

_Come seek us where our voices sound _This meant that there were only a few places where 'their' voices. It was easy enough and it didn't take him more than a couple of minutes to put two and two together. The egg always screeched in the air no matter what he did to it and it only sang under water which meant 'they' were underwater.

It was then that he realized what he thought. Underwater. How was he supposed to go underwater and stay there for an hour? He gazed absently at the mermaid who was now flicking her tail to and fro. He had read about human transfiguration but he had never attempted it before. Maybe he could ask Professor McGonagall for help but he wasn't sure he could master it within a month. In another 2 days it would be the first of January. Transfiguration was really complex after all and human transfiguration was N.E.W.T level too.

It was then that another spell came to his mind. The bubble head charm that Fred and George always used when they were handling dungbombs. If he asked them they wouldn't hesitate to teach it to him. But would it work underwater? This calmed his panic a little when he realized there were ways, it wasn't entirely impossible. Deciding to come back to that later he thought about the other clues.

There was a time limit. That was certain. Whatever they took he needed to recover it within an hour or he won't be seeing it again. _Too late, it's gone, it won't come back. _This brought him to the other question. What would they take? _We've take what you'll sorely miss. _What would he sorely miss?

His Firebolt? It was one of his most prized possessions. So was the Invisibility cloak, the Marauder's map, even his wand. But that can't be right, he needed his wand to do the task. And even if those things were taken from him they weren't stuff he would sorely miss. He leaned back, closing his eyes and forcing himself to think clearly.

What would he miss? What mattered the most to him? It didn't take long before he thought of Fleur. She had become an integral part of him and for a moment he panicked again before he reminded himself that she was a champion too.

It was then he realized, it wasn't materialistic things he would miss. The few things that mattered the most to him were Fleur, his godfather, Lupin and the few friends he had gotten close to. The list wasn't too long. But they wouldn't let _people_ get taken in would they? He spent a long time wondering about it before he shook himself from his stupor. They probably won't be placing anyone in danger like that.

Which brought him to his final question, what had voices which only sounded underwater? His mind immediately jumped to the creatures which resided underwater, Kelpies, Gryndilows…a faint giggle caught his attention and he looked up to see the mermaid smiling coyly at him. He felt himself grinning. Mermaid…of course.

So they were going to be searching for mermaids underwater to find whatever was taken from them and get it back within the hour if they wanted to them again. Wonderful.

He sighed and after glancing at the mermaid again who nodded and covered her eyes he quickly lifted himself up and out of the pool and quickly pulled on his robes before she lowered her hands.

"Thanks." He said, smiling at her who nodded, flicking her blue-green tail playfully and waving at him. Waving back he stepped out and covered himself with the invisibility cloak.

The lake was probably where the second task was going to take place. Inwardly groaning at the thought of coming face to face with the giant squid he slowly walked back to the common room. If it was his Firebolt they take, he would seriously have to consider if it was worth the trouble of facing all the underwater horrors of getting it. Then he remembered Malfoy's face last year when they held up the Quidditch Cup and he felt a smile playing on his lips.

It was definitely worth it.

**AN: So, there we have it. I apologize if the necklace thing was kinda anti climatic if y'all were expecting something more significant. Oh yeah and I still haven't exactly given the full story behind it either, of what it does etcetc etc. For everyone that need to find those bits out get ready to gouge your eyes out 'cuz it will be some chapters before that comes out :D. Ahh I love this feeling. :evil grin:**

**I don't really know how long it has been since I last updated, a week? Two? Or was it less than a few days? I've got no idea…holidays tend to completely mess my mind up. Buut to everyone who are enjoying this story so far I have already started on the next chap :) Partly because I can't wait to write about the second task and proceed onwards and partly because I promised this chap would be would have more action of sort which it lacked somewhat. I never plan out what I write before I do…seems like I just filled this chap with more H/F and feel good type of stuff, add in a lil bit more reasons for bashing on the Weasleys…hope it wasn't too boring.**

**Some of you guys might be thinking that Harry is a lil Ooc or something like that. I think I should have put a warning in my summary indicating he was going to be smarter than in canon. I am still going to make him work hard to obtain his powers but yeah…he is not exactly the same as canon…just thought I'd mention it.**

**Oh…and I think I will carry on this crazy story beyond 4****th**** year and onwards until 'ol voldie goes moldy. I provided a basic hint on what's to be expected on this chap so be prepared for the story to just…spiral out of control at some point :D and also be prepared for T rating to become M later cuz of the darker themes, language…you know…the usual and uhh suggestiveness (much much later). Err…don't get scared away though. **

**So that's it then for now :) The next chap will prolly be up later this week…might be soon, might be late. Oh and please leave your thoughts, feelings, flames (I don't exactly like 'em but I'm not against 'em…as long as they provide reasons), what you like/didn't, how I can improve, ideas. Basically anything. Hope I responded to the peeps that had questions and stuff last chap, if I didn't…sorry :( I try harder this time. **

**Signing off, sleepy, will re-read and recorrect when I wake up. Sincerely hope I haven't made too many mistakes. **


	10. Chapter 10

**As always, really appreciate every form of feedback you guys leave behind :) **

**Italics! (…) Disclaimer, same as before.**

**CHAPTER 10 **

"Why does it have to be so complicated?" Harry growled at no one in particular. A loud clearing of a throat behind him caused him to look around sheepishly. "Sorry." Madam Pince nodded curtly at him before moving away.

It was Wednesday afternoon and he was spending his fourth day in a row now in the library, poring over book after book trying to find more ways to breathe underwater. Grimacing slightly and tucking the books he had found useful, he walked over to the table where Daphne was watching him in amusement, her Charms essay lying forgotten.

Muttering darkly under his breath he slid into the seat next to her, glaring at the group of Hufflepuffs who were eyeing them from a corner who immediately returned to their books in a flash.

"Still no luck?" She asked, her voice laced with amusement. He glared at her and she immediately threw up her hands. "Forget I asked." Sighing he closed his eyes and leaned back on the chair, gazing at the ceiling.

"No, sorry…It's just frustrating."

"One would think." She smirked, turning back to her Charms essay. He had already told her about the Second Task, albeit in a roundabout way since he had only given her the clue he had heard from the egg at first much to her displeasure and let her figure it out for herself. "Stop scaring those poor people." She added.

Harry who had indeed been glaring at some of the Gryffindors who were watching their table looked at her before breaking out in laughter. Daphne who looked up at that moment noticed the horrified looks on the Gryffindors who, from the looks of their faces seemed to think that Harry had gone insane stifled a giggle earning both of them a piercing glare from Madam Pince.

"Stop fidgeting like an eight year old and read those books you got." Daphne muttered under her breath as soon as the librarian moved away, "And there's no way you're going to get everyone to stop staring over here either. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor sitting at one table remember?"

Harry nodded before opening _Obscure Enchantments _and riffled through the pages listlessly. Finally he pushed it away before gazing at the rest of the books with a forlorn expression.

"I wish you'd stop doing that. You're catching even me off guard now. I've hardly ever seen you like this." She said softly, putting down her quill and gazing at him. "I know that you have a few ways of doing this task but you seem frustrated with something. Can't decide what to do?" Harry ran his hands ruefully over his hair before growling again and ripping off the band.

"On the contrary…I know exactly what to do and that's what annoys me."

"Do explain. How are you planning on doing this?"

"Well…" He gazed at the different books and frowned before brightening up. "There are two ways I want to do this. Firstly, there is gillyweed." She looked surprised.

"Gillyweed. I remember that…of course! It's a plant that lets you breathe underwater right? And I think it gives you some useful side effects too. It's perfect!"

"Well, there are a few problems. Firstly, it's a pretty rare plant. I have no idea where to get it. The Apothecary back in Diagon Alley doesn't have it. Although…" He broke off with a dawning expression on his face. "…now that I think about it, Hagrid might have some idea where to get it. He was in Knockturn Alley trying to find something in my second year." She wrinkled her nose with a disgusted expression.

"There's a reason why we avoid that place. Don't trust what you can get from there." He looked downcast again. "I'll check out Snape's private stores for you." He looked at her in horror.

"I can't asked you to do that!" She waved her hand airily.

"He doesn't mind if we snoop around. And besides I like having you around, can't afford to lose you under the lake." A grin lit up his face.

"Don't let it get into your head Potter." She muttered although a small smile was playing on her lips. He widened his eyes and looked at her with the same forlorn expression he had minutes ago.

"Okay." He said, his voice etched with sadness although she could see the amusement in his eyes. She grinned at him.

"You've been around the twins for too long. What's the second way?" She asked curiously.

"Bubble head charm."

"It works?"

"Yeah, tested it out too." He had indeed gone to the prefect's bathroom and used the charm which worked well to his delight. "But…the only problem is, I'll be too slow. Gillyweed makes you faster underwater…" She nodded, her brow furrowed thoughtfully.

"You could always try some transfiguration." He grinned ruefully at her and lifted the book he was reading now for her to see the cover, _Human Transfiguration_.

"I could yes. But it's really hard."

"When is the second task?"

"February 24th. Professor McGonagall told me yesterday."

"It's not too bad then. You still have what? Five weeks and a couple of days to work on it." Gazing at her watch she stood up. "We need to go, it's almost time for Runes." He nodded and stalked off towards Madam Pince with the books under his arm.

"Note?" She snapped as soon as he approached and he pulled out the slip McGonagall had written for him. The books on Transfiguration were from the Restricted Section. She spent about a whole minute trying to detect some form of forgery before she huffed and handed him the books.

"What took you so long?" Daphne asked haughtily when he came back to their table where she was waiting for him.

"She was having fun with the note." He muttered, shoving the books inside his bag. They set off upstairs towards the Ancient Runes classroom and they were met halfway along the way by Tracey who greeted him a lot more warmly than before and fell into step with them.

Harry sighed softly. Daphne had finally made him realize that more than half the school had crushes on him including Tracey although she also assured him that most of them had given after seeing him and Fleur at the ball. There were still quite a few that refused to give up though.

Ancient Runes was becoming more and more enjoyable now that they had finally moved past the translating phase. They were now learning the theory behind applying Runes for enchantments and they were especially excited when Professor Babbling announced that they would be able to move on to a more practical application of them by the end of the year, if not, definitely by the beginning of next year.

Afterwards they hurried downstairs to the grounds for Care of Magical Creatures which had recently ceased to be as fun as before partly because the Skrewts were becoming potentially lethal and mostly because Hagrid was not his usual old cheery self.

This all happened because of a Daily Prophet headline last week entitled _Dumbledore's Giant Mistake _which revealed everything about Hagrid's heritage. Apparently his mother was a giantess named Fridwulfa who was also apparently one of the most vicious giants before they went into hiding.

Hagrid had immediately stopped showing his face for classes and finally after three days of classes were cancelled Dumbledore put his foot down and brought Hagrid out of his self-exile helped along by Harry and surprisingly Ron and Hermione.

He had run into both of them twice in Hagrid's hut. It seemed that the two had resolved their argument from the Yule Ball. Ron had stopped glaring at Harry whenever he saw him and twice he wondered if Ron had opened his mouth to speak to him although he never gave him the chance to.

Harry was getting increasingly irritated with Hermione again and he found himself wondering if it would have been better if he hadn't forgiven her. She kept talking to him and trying to engage him in conversation. This had effectively stopped him from visiting Hagrid in his hut since the two kept showing up.

To add to his irritation his time with Fleur was getting increasingly limited as both of them were busy with schoolwork and the second task. Immediately after he had found the clue he had tried to tell her about it and she immediately stopped him saying she wanted to work it out on her own.

He gazed down at the Skrewts that were making odd noises and spewing flames, almost burning his arm in the process. He didn't mind though since Hagrid seemed to go back to his cheery self when faced with beasts that were a potential danger to those around them.

"Don' hurt 'em!" He cried when Seamus finally lost it and fired a weak Reductor curse at one of the creatures which bounced harmlessly off its shell and slammed into the roof of Hagrid's hut eliciting startled screams from it which announced where the other half of the class who were not keen on getting close to the Skrewts were hiding. Seamus glowered at Hagrid before backing away. "I think that's enough fer today." He muttered looking crestfallen.

Harry stayed behind deciding to help Hagrid round up the rest of the Skrewts. Together they finally managed to subdue the creatures and lock them in their boxes.

"Thanks for the help Harry." Hagrid said with a smile.

"No problem" Harry replied, returning his grin. He leaned back on the fence watching the Beauxbatons carriage deciding to wait for Fleur since classes was done for the day.

"Waitin for your lady friend?" Hagrid asked, his eyes twinkling. Fighting the blush that was creeping up his face he inclined his head. "Both of you all set for the next task?" He shrugged.

"Halfway there." Hagrid nidded and clapped his shoulder reassuringly, almost making him fall over.

"You'll be fine. Both of you."

"Thanks" Harry said with a smile. Just then the Beauxbatons carriage door opened and the students filed out little by little. Some of them noticed Harry and waved at him who waved back while Hagrid watched in amusement. Finally catching sight of a hint of silver at the door he straightened up and picked up his bag.

"I'll see you at dinner." He called over his shoulder, walking towards the silver haired witch who was watching him with a smile on her face. Hagrid raised his hand in a wave before ducking back inside his hut.

Fleur was pleasantly surprised to find Harry waiting for her outside and she planted a swift kiss on his lips before taking his hand in hers. "Missed me?" She asked softly and he smiled sincerely before nodding making her chest tighten. She had almost kissed him again before a loud clearing of a throat behind them forced them apart.

"Seriously you two, not when we're around." Caroline said with a mock glare. Aurélie joined them soon afterwards and the four of them set off back towards the castle in a leisurely pace. Harry kept stealing glances at Fleur wondering how best to ask her if she had found the clue out yet. Finally after his third failed attempt at asking her, much to the amusement of the three she sighed audibly.

"Yes 'Arry I 'ave found ze clue. And I am working on a way to stay underwater. 'Appy now?" He grinned in relief.

"Yep." He answered happily. Aurélie shivered, gazing at the lake.

"I don't envy you two. I don't like ze zought of 'aving to go under zere. Who knows what's in zere?"

"Thanks for the encouragement." He said dryly.

"You're welcome." She said with a grin. All talk about the second task stopped when they reached the Great Hall where Fred and George had half the students in the house tables turning into large canaries.

* * *

The next few weeks passed too slowly for Harry's tastes to a point that it was almost like torture. Both he and Fleur were working on the second task in their spare time and it was severely limiting them from seeing each other. They only times they saw each other was at meal times and from the longing reflected in her eyes every time they parted he knew she hated it as much as he did. Neither of them wanted to distract the other from the task so all they could do was be content with the little amount of time they had with each other and look forward to when the task would finally be done with.

Apart from that Harry felt was a lot more calmer this time. He felt he was getting properly prepared this time. Both he and Daphne agreed that using gillyweed was not advisable. She informed him that Snape had exactly three of them and that he would surely notice if one of them were missing. He didn't want to give Snape any more reasons to try to chuck him out of Hogwarts.

He had decided to go along with Transfiguration to change his feet into something more useful for moving in the water. He had also outright refused Sirius and Lupin's offers to help saying that he wanted to do this on his own much to their displeasure as they constantly kept reminding him that he was forced to compete and had nothing to prove. He felt that this was something he needed to do.

Nevertheless, he was pleased with how it was turning out. The hours he was putting into practicing were proving to be well worth it as he was confident that by the first week of February he would be able to pull of the spell.

In one of his dueling sessions with Sirius, his godfather made a surprising announcement. Ever since he had beaten him in a duel, Sirius had been much more ruthless. Yet Harry had kept up with him to his immense pride.

"Enough." Sirius gasped. Panting and bent double. Harry was no better off, he was on the floor taking deep and steadying breaths trying to pull himself together, sweat streaming down his face. His vision kept sliding in and out of focus and he was well and truly exhausted. He didn't know if he could move another inch.

"Finally stopped did you?" Lupin muttered mildly, turning over another page in his book and looking around in amusement from his chair. The room looked like a hurricane had hit it. The book case was blasted in half, angry scorch marks covered the walls and there was a faint smell of something close to gunpowder in the air. The air felt heavy and at times green sparks kept escaping Harry's hands and wand just as red sparks were escaping Sirius.

Sirius pulled out a bottle of butterbeer and chucked one to Harry who almost dropped it before grabbing another one for himself and sitting on the floor with a groan.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you are as exhausted as Harry." Lupin said with a smirk eyeing Sirius.

"I think I am. I've never dueled to the point of exhaustion before, even against Death Eaters. You alright there pup?" He asked worriedly watching Harry who was now lying spread eagled on the floor with his eyes closed.

"Yeah…just need to catch my breath." He said weakly. He felt like he was going to faint at any moment. It was a while before anyone spoke and he even fell asleep for a few minutes before he slowly straightened up, glancing at Sirius and Lupin who were now sitting on the armchairs, deep in conversation. The room was also looking as good as new.

"Decided to come back to us did you?" Sirius asked grinning as Harry shakily stood up and walked over, sinking into the armchair. "There are a few changes we're going to have to make now." Harry grimaced.

"What kind of changes?" He asked warily.

"We're going to lay off dueling for a while now. There's actually nothing more I teach you anymore. All we can do is duel each other for you to help build up your experience but even that is becoming counterproductive since we know each other's patterns. The other thing you can do is to add more spells to your arsenal." Harry nodded slowly. What he said made sense; he felt like he knew what Sirius was going to do before he did it.

"What are we going to do then?"

"We need to work on your core." Sirius said with an evil glint in his eye that made Harry instantly more wary of him.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this."

"Oh don't worry…it's not like I'm going to go fiddling around with it. What I mean is we need to build up your stamina."

"How's that going to help me?" He asked curiously. Sirius frowned for a moment.

"Hmm, okay…you remember the spell you used against the Horntail? The one that held it in place?"

"Yeah."

"I would guess that now you could probably cast it and maintain it for a minute before you feel your knees go weak. Have you tried it lately?"

"No…not since then."

"In other words Harry, it means your core capacity has increased. Stamina directly coincides with your core capacity. That's why you're so exhausted now. If we allowed you to keep going now you would probably end up back in the Hospital Wing like the first time." Lupin said mildly. "You already last as long as you do because of the dueling with Sirius and your Quidditch training."

"Makes sense I guess. So what have you got in mind?"

Sirius smirked. "Physical training." Harry groaned.

"Somehow I don't think Dumbledore and Voldemort got strong like that." He muttered. Sirius and Lupin had to clutch the sides of their chairs trying to control their laughter, even Harry chuckled to himself when he thought about what he said.

"Can you imagine? 'Ol snake face in a pair of training shorts jogging around in the morning followed by his Death Eaters?" Sirius choked out. This only served to increase their laughter and they all took a while to calm down, not helped by the occasional chuckles that escaped from one of them every few seconds.

"Wait, so you mean I have to jog around Hogwarts?" Harry asked, wrinkling his nose.

"No…I have a more practical method in mind. We will do that in addition to some physical workouts. Don't worry, they will be almost the same as the standard Quidditch procedure with a few tweaks I'll add."

"_What_ have you got in mind?" He asked again.

"You familiar with muggle dueling?" Harry couldn't help the disgusted expression that crossed his face when he suddenly remembered Dudley standing in the living room shirtless and wearing boxing gloves while his parents fawned over him.

"You mean like boxing? Karate? That weird way they punch screaming at the top of their voices? No thanks." Sirius chuckled and held up his hand.

"Oh no…we're not going to waste our time with those. I'm simply going to adapt you to fighting."

"None of those weird ways of standing? Shouting?" Sirius shook his head.

"None of that. I promise. You'll see…and besides, you will be thanking me later." Harry grinned at him.

"Why? Am I going to be punching Voldemort in the face? Sounds good…I'll give it a try. He'll never know what hit him and he probably won't be expecting it either." This elicited chuckles from the two Marauders.

"That will be something. But no…this will probably be more useful in the muggle world."

"Why?" He asked confusedly.

"Fleur." He replied.

"What?" Lupin sighed.

"Muggles don't exactly have the same self-control as wizards do. If you're planning on ever venturing out of the wizarding world with her and not get in trouble for using magic, well…" Harry nodded slowly, thinking it over.

"When do we start?"

"Seems like we found a good motivator." Sirius smirked. "Already got a woman that has you wrapped around her finger…" He shook his head sadly. "I count this one of my greatest failures. No one should be tied down like that so young…" Whatever else he was going to say way cut off by Lupin who placed a silencing charm on him to which Harry nodded his thanks while at the same time trying hard not to laugh.

"After the task Harry." Lupin said getting to his feet. "Right now we need to make sure you come back up again after you go into that damned lake."

* * *

February 14th was a day that both Harry and Fleur had been looking forward to. Since it was a Saturday they were all allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Desperate to spend one full day together without anyone else bothering them they slipped out before breakfast and it was an unspoken agreement between the both of them to not speak about the upcoming task.

They actively avoided a certain coffee shop that had cherubs flying around throwing confetti at couples. Ignoring Cedric who desperately waved at them to catch their attention when Cho was dragging him determinedly into the shop they instead spent most of the morning hanging around Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks.

They chanced on a visit back to the shop which was run by the same elderly couple that once said they looked good together. Neither Harry or Fleur recognized the shop until they had seen the owners who immediately recognized them and put two and two together when they had seen entwined hands. The old woman winked at Harry and whispered something in Fleur's ear causing her to blush slightly and thank her. Much to Harry's annoyance she refused tell him anything.

The afternoon brought more people into Hogsmeade which instantly cast a shadow over what had promised to be a perfect day. The stares they were receiving combined with the sudden presence of Rita Skeeter who was making a beeline for them through the crowd, Harry had immediately turned and led Fleur into the Shrieking Shack. Thankfully it seemed like the demented reporter didn't have enough courage to follow them.

Fleur took great interest in exploring it much to Harry's amusement. Something like this would have scared a normal girl but then again, she certainly wasn't normal. They came out of the tunnel at the base of the Whomping willow which was frozen after a quick levitation charm making one of the branches prod the trunk.

The rest of the day was spent in Fleur's room which was mainly due to the fact that neither of them wanted to be anywhere near the lake until the task was over. All in all, the day finished far too soon for their liking.

February 23rd, the day before the second task had them both under strict supervision of the others again, a lot like how it was the day before the first task. Harry tried to loosen up and join in on the laughing and talking with the others but he couldn't help but feel that there was something he was failing to overlook and it was giving him an extremely bad feeling. It was like the time back in their 3rd year, on the train ride to Hogwarts when it had suddenly stopped. Harry had felt exactly like this before the Dementors had boarded the train.

Catching sight of Fleur watching him worriedly he pushed the foreboding thoughts to the back of his mind and smiled uncertainly at her, forcing himself to join in with the others. After all, he was prepared this time. So was she.

After a restless night he got up and went downstairs to get an early breakfast. The task was going to take place sharp at 10am. He wasn't surprised to find Fleur already seated alone at the Gryffindor table along with Cedric who was alone at the Hufflepuff table and Krum who was with one of his friends at the Slytherin table.

Nodding at them and managing a weak smile he walked slid into the seat next to Fleur who smiled the same uncertain smile he had yesterday at him before holding his hand tightly and resting her head on his shoulder.

Neither paid any attention to the rest of the students who filed into the Great Hall, nodding absently and thanking the people who wished them good luck. Once the food had appeared on their plates neither of them ate anything despite their friend's constant protests. The only thing Caroline, Fred and George were able to get the two of them to do was to finish their goblets of pumpkin juice.

"Where's Aurélie?" Fleur asked quietly after a while.

"Now zat you mention it…" Amy muttered, gazing down the table for a hint of blue hair. "I didn't see 'er anywhere since last night when she had to go see Madame Maxime for somezing."

"She'll turn up." Caroline said bracingly although she too had a small amount of worry in her eyes. Knowing Aurélie she would have made it her priority to be there for Harry and Fleur to support them. This wasn't like her.

Harry had a sinking feeling he knew why she wasn't here, and from the look on Fleur's face she seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion.

In no time at all he heard Dumbledore stand up just as before and ask the champions to make their way to the lake. The four of them got up, ignoring the applause and out of the castle and towards the lake accompanied by Professor McGonagall and Bagman.

It was funny. Harry had always looked forward to the lake. He, Fleur, Aurélie and Caroline had probably spent at least a few hours near it every day of the week since they had arrived in Hogwarts. It was filled with fond memories and it always looked so calm and peaceful. But today it was no different than the Forbidden forest. It was emanating danger.

It was then that Harry felt his heart throb painfully and the air suddenly rushed out of his lungs and he felt a drain in him, much like when he casts a high powered shield breaking charm. He stumbled and would have fallen over if a firm hand had not gripped his shoulder, holding him in place. Glancing up he saw that it was Professor McGonagall who was holding him and was gazing at him with a concerned expression which was mirrored on Fleur and the others.

"Are you alright Mr. Potter?" She asked gently.

"Yeah. I must have…tripped or something." He could tell that she didn't believe him but she nodded and released him. The sensation had gone as soon as it had come and now he felt normal again. Apart from the slight weariness that had settled over him.

They stopped at the edge of the lake where opposite from them he could just make out the spot that they spent most of their time in. There were two large structures with at least 4 levels standing in the middle of the lake, complete with a platform which was connecting the two together. The boats the first years used to cross the lake were floating just in front of them. He and Fleur got into one first which immediately started moving as soon as they were in followed by Krum and Cedric in the next one and McGonagall and Bagman in the next.

He could just make out the mass of black, blue and red that was coming out of the castle before he turned his attention to the wooden structure. It didn't exactly look safe, but it was obvious magic was doing a great job in holding it up. Much like the Burrow.

Once they reached the platform the boats stopped and they gingerly got onto it, ignoring the creaking of the wood as they did. Shivering slightly he felt another sharp throb of pain and clutched one of the wooden beams when his legs went weak and he felt the exact same sensation as earlier. This time however, none of the others had noticed him and he was thankful for it.

He, Cedric and Krum were directed downstairs on the left structure while Fleur on the right where they came into a locker-room much like the one that they had back at the Quidditch Pitch. Opening the locker with his initials on it he pulled out a black pair of swimming shorts and a wand strap that he tied to his arm.

Feeling very self-conscious he took off his robes and pulled on the shorts leaving his upper body bare. He also took off the gleaming blue necklace and carefully tucked it inside his robes along with his hair band which he tugged off. He didn't want to take the chance of losing it.

When he caught sight of Cedric and Krum who were wearing black/yellow and red shorts respectively he couldn't help but feel small and inadequate. His body was well develope after all the rigorous training he was put through the past three years for Quidditch but he still carried hints of malnourishment, As soon as they saw him however, their jaws dropped open and he followed their gaze to find them staring at the blackened scar that was clearly visible on his chest.

"I know you had your share of Quidditch injuries mate but something tells me that's not from Quidditch." Cedric muttered, eyeing it and flinching.

"Had a small accident." He muttered tonelessly. The other two understood his reluctance to discuss it and nodded, turning to the door.

"Coming?" Cedric asked, looking at him curiously since he hadn't moved an inch from where he was standing.

"In a minute." He rasped, turning to one of the sinks with a mirror. When they were gone he leaned against the wall, feeling his head spin as yet another drain coursed through him. Noticing his reflection he leaned in, his pupils had dilated. He waited a few minutes to see if the same sensation would happen again but it didn't.

Sighing he took a deep breath before opening the door open. The loud noises of talking and laughter dominated his hearing, announcing that some students had already arrived and he quickly made his way up and towards the platform where the others were standing, ignoring the gasps and the stares from all around him as he did.

When he caught sight of Fleur he couldn't help himself and lost all coherent thought momentarily. She was dressed in a silver bathing suit that resembled what the older girls back at the school he went with muggles wore. Shaking himself slightly he grinned at her, forgetting about everyone else and she smiled shyly back at him before her eyes moved to his chest and her smile vanished leaving her with a pained look.

Before she could say anything he shook his head violently and went to stand next to her. She leaned closer to him, oblivious to everyone else and gently traced the scar with her finger which sent shivers down his spine before looking back up at him, blue meeting green. Something passed between them that sent a warm and comforting sensation coursing through him. Slowly they became more aware of the noises around them and turned back to face the lake.

More and more of the boats arrived bringing in more people and in no time at all the stands were filled. They caught sight of Caroline and the others and they all had extremely worried looks on their faces. The absence of Aurélie confirming their suspicions although Harry still kept hoping against hope that their musings were not true.

Finally Bagman stepped behind the four champions and turned around to face the cheering crowd.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, It is almost time to start the second task of the Triwizard tournament. Something was taken from them and in order for them to recover it they must journey to the deepest reaches of this lake in order to find it within an hour." He bellowed in his magically enhanced voice. Harry glanced around and noticed that Cedric and Krum had worried looks mirroring his and Fleur's.

"We still have about 30 seconds left until 10 so wands at the ready then." Harry gripped his wand tightly, closing his eyes as he felt himself weakening with another painful throb of his heart. It took almost all of his willpower to keep himself standing upright. Meanwhile Bagman was counting down the time and at the last 10 seconds the crowd joined in too.

"5…4…3…2…1…BEGIN!" Bagman yelled and a loud bang echoed. Harry flicked his wand and his head was covered in a transparent bubble and quickly dived under water with the others while at the same time concentrating on transfiguring his feet.

He felt his feet elongate and kept his eyes fixed on them, not caring that he was slowly sinking deeper under the water. When finally he was satisfied he gave an experimental kick which thrust him forward. His feet were now flippers. Grinning he looked up just in time to see Krum speed away, his legs much like Harry's and in place of his head was a shark's head.

Cedric gave him a thumbs up before swimming away too, he was also using a bubble head charm and although his feet were still the same, he was still fast. It seemed that he was a good swimmer.

He caught sight of Fleur who grinned at him and his mouth fell open in surprise. In place of her entire lower body was a silver fish tail, her upper body bare except for the bra that covered her chest. She playfully flicked her tail at him before turning and speeding off after the others making him grin and give chase.

It was eerie underwater. Fish swam around him and there were large shadowy shapes all around him. It felt like he was at an entirely different world. He had lost sight of the others but he kept swimming deeper into the darkness, trying to find the bottom.

There was a ship that looked more than a few hundred years old, covered in slime. He felt his pulse quicken when he caught sight of what looked suspiciously like a tentacle under the wreckage and quickly sped away deciding to be safe and sorry. He did not want to come face to face with the giant squid for any reason.

His vision suddenly blurred out again and he felt himself grow weaker. Panicking slightly he sped up despite the protests of his limbs. It was barely even 15 minutes into the task and he already felt like he had just played the most grueling game of Quidditch ever. Each time he felt as if more and more was being taken away from him. He also noticed that his skin was getting paler.

He slowed down until he wearily came to a stop. In front of him as far as the eye was green weed making the space in front of him look more like a forest than anything. He was just debating whether to try and find a way around it when he heard a haunting melody that was all too familiar to his ears now. Abandoning caution he swam forward through the weed that obscured his view listening intently.

He came to a stop, listening for a sound…anything that would give hint to the melody when something grabbed hold of his ankle from under him without warning. He jerked his foot away in surprise and gave a muffled cry when he felt the skin tear away when his foot was wrenched free.

Looking down in horror he recognized a Grindylow, a small, horned creature that he had first seen in his 3rd year and remembering what Lupin had taught them he whipped out his wand and aimed it at the long, brittle fingers that had been holding him just seconds ago and felt a savage pleasure when the creature gave a pitiful moan when its fingers crushed under his Reductor curse.

Unfortunately more and more of them were coming out of the weeds now and another one managed to grab his other leg. Taking aim he fired another Reductor curse at it which instead of hitting the fingers, hit its face killing it instantly. Kicking it away he concentrated hard, thinking _Relashio _and formed the spell into a pulse to knockback the swarm that was surrounding him. Instead of the usual purple light a water pulse hurtled at the swarm forcing them aside and he quickly took his chance and surged through with the path clear.

He was panting now, feeling more weak than he should be after casting those spells which were relatively simple for him. Glancing at his watch which he had charmed earlier to resist water he felt his mind cloud with panic when he realized he had spent over 40 minutes underwater. He only had another 20 minutes to get back whatever they took.

Looking wildly around he swam faster, ignoring the sharp pain in his leg and the way his limbs kept screaming in protest. Another few minutes had passed and he had almost lost hope when he heard the haunting melody again. This time louder than ever and he swam faster, ignoring all the shapes around him that he had been previously been weary of.

As he swam on he realized the lake was going deeper than he originally thought. He couldn't even see the surface anymore. The melody was getting louder and louder until finally he was able to hear the words.

_And while you're searching ponder this_

Kicking faster he sped up. The area ahead of him was getting lighter until he finally caught sight of small rocky structures with merpeople around them who started screeching and pointing at him as he got closer.

The merpeople looked exactly like normal humans-from the waist up. Instead of legs they had powerful fish tails, a lot like Fleur's except that it looked more natural on them and the colors varied from light blue to dark brown. The males looked especially handsome, yet their faces carried subtle hints that showed they were not human. Their faces were more angular and more streamlined unlike the rough features of humans. They also carried deadly looking spears.

The females had varying colors of hair and they too carried an inhuman beauty about them. He saw a familiar bright pink haired mermaid waving at him to who he waved back with a small smile.

They parted the way for him and swam with him, in front of him a dark shape steadily grew more visible until he saw clearly that it was a large statue of a merman. In front of it was a large group of merpeople who were singing the haunting chorus again and again while others watched silently. He felt another painful throb when he got closer and momentarily faltered but recovered quickly and pushed on, ignoring the way his eyes kept losing focus. He only had to endure for a little longer.

What he saw at the base of the statue made sent a sharp surge of anger coursing through him along as his fears were confirmed. Four people were tied to the statue and all of them looked like they were in a deep sleep.

He recognized Gabrielle in the middle, next to her was Aurélie and on Gabrielle's other side were Cho and Hermione. It didn't seem like any of the other champions had arrived yet and he cast a carefully aimed severing charm at the blue haired witch's bonds, ignoring the sharp drain and the drowsiness that came over him as soon as he did so and gently slid his arm around her waist. One of the mermen next to him jerked his head upwards, indicating that he should get going but he shook his head and turned back to Gabrielle, glancing at his watch again. 57 minutes had passed and there was still no sign of the others.

Another minute ticked by and he turned to aim his wand at the bonds holding Gabrielle only to find himself facing the sharp end of a spear of one of the mermen who was grinning cruelly. He instead pointed his wand at the merman who watched in amusement, his hand trembling with exhaustion. Before anything else could happen, the merpeople started screeching in excitement again and whirled around to find Fleur swimming as fast as possible towards him.

She made a beeline for Gabrielle, her face etched with worry and he knew she was scared for her sister. She quickly whipped out her wand and severed the bonds holding Gabrielle and wrapped her arms around her small body and looked at him worriedly, her lips moving. He shook his head and jerked his head upwards with a reassuring grin. She nodded and started upwards, towards the surface. It was clear that she wanted to get Gabrielle to safety as soon as possible.

More screeching turned him around again and he felt relieved when he saw two familiar figures speeding towards them. He started making his way up to the surface when he realized something was wrong. His flippers were slowly turning back into human feet. That coupled with his exhaustion and the added weight of Aurélie meant that he was moving at a snail's pace upwards. Glancing at his watch he gritted his teeth when he saw that it was only 1 minute more before the time limit.

He kicked desperately, trying to fight the urge to sleep which was becoming too much for him. Krum sped upwards past him with Hermione followed shortly by Cedric with Cho, neither of them turning back. He couldn't exactly blame them, it was a competition after all. He only managed another couple more paces upwards where he could see the faintest trace of light from the surface before something collided into him, knocking the wind out of him.

It was a little golden-brown creature that was golden-brown in color and resembled a Hinkypunk in a lot of ways other than the feet which were webbed. A whole swarm surrounded him and he felt sharp nails tear at his skin from different directions. Aurélie was also getting her clothes torn in the process but she didn't seem to be waking up at all. Growling slightly and praying that this would work, he pulled her close to him and shouted _"Incursu!"_ aiming his wand vaguely at the swarm.

Red sparks covered all of the creatures and they were momentarily paralyzed, drifting motionlessly away from them. They jerked back into motion and sped away from them making him chuckle softly despite the situation they were in.

He didn't have any strength left to keep swimming and he was slowly starting to drift back down to the depths with Aurélie. The drowsiness was becoming unbearable too. Smiling ruefully at his own helplessness he pushed Aurélie with all of his might up and away from him forcing him back deeper into the depths. Aiming his wand at her he whispered _"Levare" _and felt the last bit of his strength leave him as she was propelled slowly upwards to the surface.

Finally giving into the drowsiness he closed his eyes, wand slipping away from his fingers as the bubble head charm flickered before disappearing.

* * *

Fleur gasped as her bubble head charm faded and she took in a deep breath of fresh air. She also transformed her lower body back to normal and restored her swimsuit before turning around to face the platform. Loud cheers and screams filled the air and her face broke into a broad smile and she started swimming towards it which was a few feet in front of her being careful to keep Gabrielle's head above the water. She was slowly waking up and gasped in surprise when she looked around wide eyed, surprised to be in the arms of her sister.

As soon as she reached the platform Caroline and Amy were already there, on their knees with their hands outstretched with wide grins while Madame Maxime was smiling proudly at her as was Dumbledore. Karkaroff was scowling. She took their offered hands and allowed them to pull her onto the platform and collapsed on it, breathing deeply. She hadn't been aware of how exhausted she had been until now, her desire to get her sister to safety had been overpowering. She felt someone drape a towel around her shoulders and she shook her head, gesturing at Gabrielle who was silently looking around at the crowd in confusion.

Poppy pulled Gabrielle out of Fleur's hands and wrapped a towel tightly around the little girl and gave her a potion that made her ears spew out smoke. The cheers renewed again and Fleur looked at the lake eagerly but her face fell when she saw it was Krum and Hermione. By now Fred, George and the others had fought their way through the crowd to the platform.

"Where's Harry? And Aurélie?" Caroline asked worriedly and Fleur felt the beginnings of worry settle in.

"'Arry was right behind me wiz Aurélie." She murmured, gazing at the lake, panic rising in her. A clock chimed behind her and she looked around to see the time was now 11. Time was up. More cheers erupted and she turned back to the lake only to feel her heart sink when she saw it was Cedric and Cho. Where were Harry and Aurélie?

She glanced back at the lake, her worry increasing as every second passed. Dumbledore was pacing around, the twinkle in his eyes were gone and he looked much older than he ever did before. She also saw Lupin standing at the back with an extremely worried expression on his face. As soon as Cedric and Cho were on the platform she got up and hurried over to them, brushing aside the students that were swarming around him to congratulate him.

"Did you see 'Arry?" She asked urgently.

"Yeah he was right behind…me." He faltered when he looked around at the lake, seeing that the fourth champion was nowhere in cheering gradually got quieter and quieter until the only sound that could be heard were the sounds of the water colliding with the wooden supports of the platform.

Someone gripped her shoulder. Glancing up she saw that it was Madame Maxime who held her, her expression grim. Gabrielle was in Caroline's arms looking scared at the silence and the grim looks in everyone's faces. Suddenly Aurélie surfaced, gasping as soon as the cold air hit her and everyone started cheering again and Fleur felt relief flood back into her for a split second before her blood went cold again and the cheers stopped abruptly when everyone realized it was only Aurélie who had surfaced and there was no hint of the raven haired wizard anywhere.

Another few seconds passed before Fleur wrenched herself free from Madame Maxime's grip and dived back into the lake, ignoring the shouts behind her. Holding her breath she frantically swam deeper searching for anything hint of him, her heart hammering against her chest, refusing to think of what could have happened to him. A growing pain on her forehead made her cast a bubble head charm on herself to relieve the pressure before diving deeper into the depths.

She caught sight of a dark shape and sped up. Her mind clouded in panic when she realized it was Harry, drifting eerily deeper into the depths, his wand floating a few feet away from him. Swimming towards him she grabbed hold of him, trying hard to stop the thoughts running in her mind when she realized he wasn't breathing or responding in any way. Quickly casting a bubble head charm on him she grabbed his wand which was floating in front of her before swimming back up to the surface.

Loud screams and gasps pierced the air when she resurfaced with Harry in her arms who now that she looked closer at him, was as pale as the snow. His lips had lost almost all its color. Fred jumped into the water and swam towards her, helping her with Harry. When they reached the platform they took Harry and laid him gently on the ground.

She wasted no time and quickly bent over him, covering his mouth with hers and forcing air into his lungs before drawing away and pumping his chest before repeating the action multiple times. Everyone was quiet while she kept up her administrations and Harry showed no hint of responding. She had tears running down her face now and she felt someone's hand on her shoulder again before she angrily shook it off, repeating her administrations.

He suddenly started coughing violently and she felt a relief like none other flood into her when he started breathing, even though it was coming out in painful rasps. His eyes slowly opened and he gazed at her through half lidded eyes. He smiled faintly at her before his eyes closed again.

Dumbledore knelt down next to her and placed his hand on Harry's head. Suddenly a flash of fire appeared in front of them eliciting more screams and awed gasps when a Phoenix appeared. Dumbledore nodded at it and gestured the matron over and Poppy knelt down next to Harry and grabbed hold of its tail while keeping a firm hand on Harry who was still looking deathly pale. He and the matron disappeared along with the Phoenix in a flash of fire and Dumbledore turned to her, the twinkle back in his eye.

"He will be alright, I have sent him back to the Hospital Wing." He told her quietly. "You can go see him after the scores have been given out." She nodded and stood up, turning to Aurélie who had tear streaks on her face and hugged her tightly. Now that they were assured that Harry was going to be alright everyone were looking forward to the results of the second task. She just wanted to get it over with.

Dumbledore was crouching on the platform, deep in conversation with a merman. If by conversation it meant the screeches both of them were sending at each other. After a few minutes he stood up and went to join with the judges and they spent a few minutes together before Bagman finally broke away from the group.

"Mr. Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts, for the excellent use of the bubble head charm and for returning with his hostage just within the time limit, we award him 42 points out of the total of 50!" Cedric grinned and raised his hand in acknowledgement to the cheers.

"Mr. Viktor Krum of Durmstrang, for the unorthodox yet brilliant method of Transfiguration and for returning with his hostage a minute before the time limit, we award him 45 points!" Krum just nodded grumpily although she could see that he was smiling slightly. Karkaroff was clapping particularly hard looking superior.

"Miss Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons, for an excellent use of Transfiguration in addition to using the bubble head charm and for returning two minutes before the time limit with her hostage, we award her 49 points!"

"Way to go!" Fred shouted over the cheers. She had never seen Madame Maxime look so happy before and she shyly dipped her head in acknowledgement.

"Mr. Potter used the bubble head charm in combination with Transfiguration to great effect. The merchieftain has informed us that he was the first to arrive before the hostages and had refused to leave without the others Therefore we award him a total of 45 points!" Fleur and the others cheered the loudest although the applause was lukewarm at best seeing as said wizard was not in the vicinity.

Once they were done they boarded back into the boats and made their way back to the grounds. Deciding to get changed before going back to the castle they separated from the rest of them and went back to their carriage. Fleur glanced at Gabrielle intending to ask her how she ended up under the lake but fell silent when she saw that she had fallen asleep in her arms. Smiling softly at her she turned to Aurélie.

"_How did you two end up down there?"_

"_Madame Maxime called me out last night. I was surprised to find Gabrielle here too, apparently she arrived yesterday." _Aurélie said, glancing at Gabrielle. _"Anyway, she took us to the castle where we were joined by the other two and the Hogwarts headmaster explained that we were going to be the hostages and that we would be placed in an enchanted sleep before going underwater. He also assured us that none of us were going to come to harm and that even if they failed to get us we won't come to harm."_

"_Then why did they put that stupid thing in the clue?" _Amy asked scowling. _"It's probably what scared 'Arry into trying to get everyone." _

"_What happened to him?" _Caroline asked.

"_I don't know. He was already there and he had already freed Aurélie when I got there. I was so intent on getting Gabrielle back I…" _She hung her head down. _"I shouldn't have left him. There was something wrong with him from the morning." _

"_It's not your fault. You're going to see him now right?" _Caroline asked, sinking into a chair in Fleur's room while she gently placed Gabrielle on her bed and tucked her in.

"_Yes."_Grabbing a pair of jeans and a blouse she went to take a shower, thankful that they were going to have the next two days off so that they could get some rest.

"_Fleur?"_Aurélie called loudly after a few minutes when she stepped out of the shower.

"_Yes?" _

"_Isn't this 'Arry's wand?" _

"_Oh no…I forgot about that. Need to get it back to him." _

"_Relax, he probably won't wake up anytime soon." _Amy's voice joined in as the door to her room opened. _"Oh and your mother's here." _She added cheerfully and she heard her mother's voice join in the fray. She got dressed hurriedly before stepping out of the bathroom and was immediately engulfed in a hug by her mother who had indeed dropped in.

"_Maman!"_She exclaimed happily while her mother laughed. _"When did you get here?"_

"_Just now. Congratulations on the task dear, I can almost imagine his expression when I tell him how you've done this time." _She grinned and blushed slightly._"I see you put her to sleep." _Apolline added, nodding towards Gabrielle who was fast asleep. _"I had no idea that they were going to use her for something as dangerous as this! I'm going to have a few words with your headmistress."_

"_Please give us time to get away from here before you do. We don't want to be here for the explosion." _Caroline piped.

"_I'll make sure you are informed beforehand. Now then Fleur…" _she turned to Fleur with a predatory smile on her face. _"I've been hearing all sorts of things about you and a certain 'Arry Potter." _Fleur glared at Amy who winked at her while Caroline and Aurélie chuckled.

She folded her arms and fixed her mother with a defiant stare. _"What about it?" _She asked haughtily.

"_Nothing much. But it seems like your father and I will have to talk to the two of you soon." _Fleur could see the amusement in her mother's eyes. She suddenly squinted at her and strode closer to her, with a gasp she touched the gleaming emerald pendant on her necklace. Fleur had put it on again, having taken it off in the morning to keep it safe. _"So it finally changed? I mean…isn't this the same necklace that he got for you?" _

Fleur frowned at her mother. _"What do you mean finally? And yes it's the same one." _

"_Oh nothing, my mistake. You going somewhere?"_

"_Yes, it's Harry…he…" _And she explained what had happened. She also wanted to see him before she took Gabrielle and went back home so they all left the carriage, quietly locking the door so that Gabrielle wouldn't be disturbed.

Poppy looked extremely irritated when they found her. The main cause of her irritation clearly in the form of a large black dog that was barking loudly outside the Hospital Wing with Lupin watching with a mixture of amusement and embarrassment. Fleur grinned when she saw Sirius and knew he was probably just worried sick about Harry.

"If that dog doesn't shut up I'm not going to let any one of you in to see him at all." Poppy threatened.

"Shut up Padfoot." Lupin hissed and the dog immediately fell silent and sat down meekly. Catching sight of Fleur he stood up smiling.

"Maman, zis is Remus Lupin, one of 'Arry's teachers from last year."

"Pleazure to meet you Monsieur Lupin."Apolline said with a smile.

"The pleasure is mine." Lupin murmured, brushing his lips against the back of her hand. Sirius barked loudly and Fleur grinned. She knew he was an Animagus, Harry had spoken quite fondly of his godfather and detailed everything he knew about him to her.

"And zat iz Padfoot. 'E doesn't like being ignored." Her mother laughed and patted Sirius who immediately rolled over making Fleur and the others laugh while Lupin covered his face with his palm. After introducing Lupin and Sirius (just an inseparable companion of Lupin's) to Caroline, Aurélie and Amy who immediately started petting and scratching behind Sirius's years while he sat contently. Fleur wasn't very successful in hiding the smirk when she thought how they would all react if they knew what the dog really was.

Finally the door opened and Poppy let them in. He still hadn't woken up but he was breathing steadily. Aside from the fact that he still looked deathly pale Poppy assured them that he was steadily recovering. Fleur placed his wand next to him on the bedside table next to his necklace and glasses. She caught her mother gazing at it with an unreadable expression but didn't comment on it.

After spending a little bit more time which was spent recounting Fleur's underwater experience comprising of grindylows, a curious kelpie and an extremely close shave with the giant squid, Apolline announced that she should get Gabrielle and start heading back. She gently kissed Harry's brow and hugged Fleur again, sensing her daughter wanted to stay a bit longer. She left with Amy, Caroline and Aurélie leaving Fleur with Lupin and Sirius.

"Do you know what 'appened to 'im?" Fleur asked after a few minutes of silence, sitting carefully on the side of his bed and taking his hand in hers, flinching when she felt how cold it was. Lupin grimaced and sank into one of the chairs on the other side of the bed next to Harry and tiredly rubbed his eyes.

"Poppy found traces of poison in his system." Sirius bared his teeth and growled while Fleur unconsciously tightened her hold on Harry's limp hand.

"'Ow?" She asked shakily.

"We don't know." He sighed. "Even Dumbledore has no idea about what's happening and that says something. I've never seen him look so…helpless before."

"Isn't zere anyway to stop 'im from competing?" She asked quietly. "Zis is two times 'e was put in danger. Isn't zat enough to stop ze tournament? Or even postpone it until zey find whoever is doing zis to 'im?" Lupin shook his head unconsciously, his eyes fixed on Harry and Fleur fell silent.

"Thank you for getting him out of there." He said softly, shifting his gaze to her with a small smile. She smiled uncertainly at him and Sirius who was watching her intently, gratitude reflected in his eyes.

Lupin wearily got up after glancing at the clock on the wall and nodded at Sirius who immediately got up and put up his paws on the bed to get a closer look at Harry. It was too much of a risk to transform back to normal. He then edged closer to her and she petted him with a grin before he bounded off, slipping out of the doors silently leaving Lupin staring at her with an odd look on his face and smiled when she turned back to him.

"I can see why Harry cares so much about you." She blushed slightly at this and his smile grew wider, eyes twinkling. "I only wish that James and Lily had the chance to meet you. Take care of him alright? And if he wakes up tomorrow tell him that we will be dropping in at night to see him."

"I will." He nodded his thanks and after putting his hand on Harry's forehead for a moment, disappeared out of the door. Poppy bustled in holding a tray of potions at which Fleur wrinkled her nose in disgust when the smell got to her and she grinned.

"It's not that bad." Poppy said defensively.

"I wouldn't want to be 'im right now." She shot back and she could have sworn she saw Harry's lips curve upwards before Poppy slowly started feeding him the potions with her help.

"It's getting rather late and I'm sorry to say that I can't let you stay here." Poppy said gently after they were done. "And besides, he will not wake up any time soon." She got up and stretched. She probably should start heading back. She hadn't really noticed it but she was extremely tired.

"I'll go zen." The matron nodded at her before taking the empty bottles and disappearing through the door to her office.

"Bonne nuit mon cher" She whispered, kissing his lips lightly before silently slipping out.

* * *

Harry woke up in the middle of the night, feeling a searing pain in his chest that made him want to claw at it and rip out whatever was in it causing this discomfort. His panic grew when he found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move any part of his body. His eyes, arms, legs, nothing responded. He couldn't even find his voice. The only thing he could do was breathe.

The pain faded away after what felt like an eternity. Finding that he still couldn't move any part of him he forced himself to remain calm. The last thing he remembered was water. Water everywhere.

After a few minutes his breathing slowed down until it was coming out normally. Slowly he tried opening his eyes. What he saw shocked him making his eyes open wide.

He could make out the familiar ceiling of the Hospital Wing and he could see the empty beds next to him. He brought his hand up to his face, he wasn't wearing his glasses. He could see! Well…not exactly.

There was no color at all. Everything was black and white. It felt like he was in a memory much like when he had seen Tom Riddle's memory from his diary back in his second year. Turning around he caught sight of something blue and his eyes fixed on his necklace on the bedside table. It was still gleaming blue.

Taking it tentatively he closed his fist around it, feeling a measure of peace settle over him, calming him. Taking comfort in it he closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. Tentatively he opened his eyes and felt relieved when he found his eyesight was back to its normal, poor state. He didn't know what happened earlier but he wasn't looking forward to having it happen again. Putting on his glasses he sat up straighter and looked around.

It was too dark to make out the time but it must be in the early hours of the morning. Feeling too tired to get up he slumped back on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling giving in to the exhaustion he felt. Soon enough, his eyes were closed again and he was fast asleep again.

**AN: A little shorter than the other chaps, but this felt like the right place to end for now. This was supposed to have been up like...4 days ago. I did something really stupid and managed to delete a half typed out word document of this and it took a bit of time to convince myself to start writing it from scratch again. **

**Hope second task went alright. Was Harry's hostage a surprise to you guys? Also hope no one minded the 'muggle dueling'...just seemed like a fun addition xD.  
**

**One thing kept coming up when I was reading through some of the reviews and pms I got that I think I need to state here. I noticed that there are some of you that have been turned off by the old, overused 'Weasley bashing' and yeah…pretty much say that its unoriginal and that it would have been better off without the bashing. **

**I agree! Almost every HP fanfic I've read and enjoyed contained Weasley bashing. Maybe I'm just sadistic. Unfortunately for some of you, I will still keep up the bashing on those I have chosen as the targets. One of the reasons for that is because I just find it fun to write and feel it adds more entertainment for the story. What I really want to do is make this different from canon…no one wants to read that againright? Not now at least if you are reading HP fics. What better way to start making it more different than to separate the 'golden trio' and some other redheads? (who I admit I have found really irritating in canon…writing this allows me to dictate how it goes so…just let me have my fun with those redheads for now. And NOT in that way *shudders*)**

**Comforts I can offer to those who are getting turned off by the bashing are small. I mentioned in one of my earlier notes that I do not intend to phase characters out completely. I stand by what I've said (most of the time lol). After all I have decided to take this past the fourth year to…whatever year this ends one way or another. A lot can happen during that time :) **

**I haven't really thought about the bashing anything other than ways to shape Harry's character…to make him into what I have in mind. Less trusting, less forgiving being one of the main goals. More human another…you know…with moments where he just acts like an immature brat which I'm pretty sure we all do at some point. I do and I'm already 19.I haven't made said Weasleys go down the 'take money from Harry's vault illegally and have him marry Ginny via illegal marriage contract' route. So..be glad! There is still hope! BUT some things will have permanently changed as you will see later.**

**So with all that said, all I can ask is to give it a chance as see how it turns out (and enjoy the bashing for now). If you simply hate stories with Weasley bashing and/or different Harry, then well…I'm sorry but this story is probably not the one for you. **

**Rant over. On a much, much happier note (for me), I'm absolutely thrilled with the number of people reading this. I've said it time and again (even that I have mentioned a couple of times) but seriously, I love it when I see people reading this. My writing does have a lot of grammar mistakes here and there, but I will keep trying to make it more bearable. Please keep dropping off whatever form of feedback you can, I'm constantly looking for ways to improve this and anything you guys have got to say is appreciated :) Also hope I reached everyone that had questions and etc. If I didn't, sorry :(**

**Next chapter will be longer than this. I really want to get the tournament done with and reveal some surprises I have in store. Besides, I don't think I have a lot of stuff to put in between now and the third task so I'll just…carry on. (umm Mrs. Weasley/Harry meeting anyone? *evil grin*)**

**Expect the next one pretty soon…within the week at best. Provided I don't have another bout of insanity and/or stupidity :D**

**Hope you enjoyed this! Till next time then. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for the amazing reviews and the sheer number of alerts and favs guys! Makes the time I put into this so much more sweeter. **

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 11**

Harry woke up rather early in the morning. Judging by the golden light streaming through the windows it should be just after sunrise. He could just make out a blurry shape on a chair next to his bed, someone had taken off his glasses while he was sleeping.

Reaching out blindly to the side for his glasses he felt a hand gently close around his outstretched arm and his eyesight sharpened immediately when he felt his glasses being pushed back onto his face, allowing him to see Fleur leaning over him with a small smile on her face.

To his surprise she got up and climbed onto his bed, straddling his lap without saying a word. When she finally looked at his face again he felt his heart sink when he saw she was regarding him with a cold look. At that moment, even though he couldn't explain it, he felt terrible, as if he'd done something to her. He felt like he had betrayed her somehow and her cold glare and silence unnerved him as he waited for her to speak.

"Did you mean what you told me zat night when you said you loved me?" She asked quietly. Completely stunned by her question he gazed at her while she stared back at him, keeping their eyes locked together. After what felt like ages he finally got his voice working again.

"Yes." He said quietly. There was no change in her expression.

"Zat means you care about me? Zat you wouldn't do anything to 'urt me?"

"Yes. Fleur wh…" He was cut off by her, her voice increasing in volume.

"Zen why? Why do you 'ave such little regard for yourself when you know 'ow much you mean to me? Or do you zink my feelings are lies? Do zey matter so little to you?"

"No!"

"Why did you not tell anyone somezing was wrong? Why did you 'ide it? Do you know 'ow worried I was when you didn't come up?" Harry shook his head frantically. The entire room was getting warmer. Then the temperature dropped again suddenly and she lost all anger on her face. "I was scared." She whispered, hurt evident in her voice. At that moment he felt small, insignificant. Like he was the scum of the Earth. He welcomed the feeling.

Ever since he had first met her, he had only seen her like this on the day when she broke down and told him about what had happened to her back in Beauxbatons. He hated himself for bringing her back to this state. She had her eyes fixed on his chest and he tentatively pulled her down to him, wrapping his arms around her so that her face was buried on his chest eliciting a muffled squeak of surprise.

"I was a fool." He murmured. He felt a slight movement but she didn't speak. "I don't have anything I can say to make it up to you. I understand if you…" He was cut off when she looked up at him sharply, the temperature spiking immediately and making him flinch.

"You can understand if I what?" She asked with a hint of a growl. He didn't speak for a few moments.

"I wasn't thinking about you or anyone else at that time. I just…gave up." He said quietly, remembering how he had felt when he had allowed the drowsiness to take over him. "I did what was easy while you were waiting for me. I don't deserve it…your feelings…nothing." The silence that followed was deafening. Barely a second had passed when a resounding slap broke the silence and he felt a stinging pain on his cheek.

He didn't dare look at her for a few minutes and kept his face turned away. Hearing a quiet sob he looked up in horror to find her eyes wet with tears forming in them.

"I will be ze judge of zat." She muttered, rubbing her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak and immediately found her hand covering it and he was silenced with a glare. "I want you to promise me somezing." He slowly nodded his head under her gaze.

"You will never doubt our relationship again. Like I 'ave told you so many times already, I 'ave made my decision and nozzing will change eet. Like it or not you are now stuck wiz me." She felt a smile grace her features when he grinned at her words, his eyes gleaming brightly. She couldn't explain it, but it was like she could feel his emotions. She felt her pain, sadness and anger disappear as if she had not had those emotions raging within her just moments ago.

"I won't. Never again." He said softly.

"You're only human 'Arry." She said quietly, gently caressing his cheek where she had slapped him feeling guilty at the red mark it had left. She felt another smile, wider than the last one spread across her face when he nuzzled into her hand with his eyes closed. "You do not need to shoulder everyzing zat comes your way on your own. You are not a burden so stop zinking zat you are."

"I'll try." He said sincerely. She smiled and nodded before leaning towards him, her hair tickling his face when he spoke again. "I'm sorry…for everything." She paused, his face had lost all trace of happiness on it and his eyes had reverted to their deadened look. Inwardly sighing she made a mental note that this was one of the things she needed to work on him, the way he kept apologizing.

"Eet's alright." He shook his head.

"No. I told myself that I'd never see you hurt like tha..." He suddenly found himself unable to speak because of the soft lips that were moving against his own. After a few seconds she withdrew, pulling his bottom lip slightly as she did and hovered just above him so that their lips were barely touching.

"Time for talk iz over." She whispered before covering his lips with hers again.

This time her lips were more demanding, filled with raw emotion. Her eyes were not their usual light blue. They were darkened with an emotion that he had only briefly caught glimpses of before she would look away.

He felt a series of shocks run down his spine when she parted his lips with her tongue, allowing her entry into his mouth. At that moment his mind was blank. Completely, utterly and blissfully blank. Both her hands wrapped around his neck, one of them entangling itself in his hair as she made no indication of parting from him anytime soon. His hands wrapped possessively around her waist, running them through her extremely soft hair.

Small moans kept issuing from both of them driving each other crazy. Each separating after a few minutes for a few seconds before attacking the other's lips with a ferocity neither had ever displayed before. While it wasn't like all their earlier kisses had been chaste, they had been far too short to revel in the feeling like they were doing now. The taste of her lips was enough to get him addicted to her if not already. She tasted just like honey and was infinitely better than the best candy or chocolate that Honeydukes had to offer.

She wasn't any better off either. Her Veela side had flared up and it was more pronounced than ever. She had lost control of her allure, not like she cared. If any boy came into the room right now, they would be reduced to a drooling inanimate object. Right now it was just him and her. She couldn't get enough of him and it was taking almost all of her self-control to keep up her conscious thoughts so that they wouldn't go too far. But even that was steadily deteriorating.

They didn't know how long they kept this up, all they knew was that neither one of them were showing any signs of wanting to stop. She didn't know exactly when but her hands had somehow wandered from his neck and had slipped under his shirt. She knew her resolve was going to break soon. He wasn't too far from it either judging by the way his hands were now tentatively making their way towards her chest causing her to shiver in anticipation.

"MR. POTTER!" A shocked voice forced them apart and Fleur tried to get up off Harry but fell back against him due to the way their legs were entwined.

"_We aren't doing anything." _She blurted out in French. Silence reigned for a few seconds while Fleur and Harry looked sheepishly at the matron, both still frozen in the same position they were found in with Fleur's hands still under his shirt although Harry had somehow gotten his hands around her waist again.

A chuckle broke the silence and she looked down in surprise to find it was Harry. It seemed like he was struggling to hold in his laughter. This coupled with the way his cheeks were bright red made her giggle and before they knew it, both were laughing, taking no notice of Poppy who was still standing frozen with a tray of potions in her hands.

Eventually the two calmed down enough to turn back to the matron who carefully walked towards them and placed the potions on his bedside table, ignoring their compromising position as neither had moved an inch.

"Mr. Potter, since you are my most frequent patient in this school, as a thank you for being such good company over the years I will turn a blind eye for today as long as you two promise you don't use the hospital beds for this type of thing. And you have to finish up all these potions within half an hour. Do we have a deal?" She asked sternly although in reality she was trying hard not to smile at the way both of them had gone so red on their faces that they were emanating heat.

"Deal." Harry replied with a grin. She then turned on her heel and walked off muttering to herself about crazy teenagers and hormones leaving them alone again. Harry then focused back on the witch that had finally managed to get her hands out from under his shirt who was also staring intently back at him.

Her lips were slightly swollen and more red than pink now while her cheeks were also tinted bright red that made her look if possible, more beautiful. Both of them tried to speak at the same time and realizing it fell silent, waiting for the other to go ahead.

"You first." She said softly with a small smile playing on her lips.

"I err…can't believe I did that. I didn't mean to…" He swallowed nervously when his heart gave a lurch seeing her smile widen playfully. "I didn't mean to get carried away like that." She made no effort to get up off him and instead wrapped her arms around his neck again trying hard not to giggle at how he was squirming adorably.

"Zat makes two of us." She whispered in his ear. "And stop apologizing!" She added exasperatedly, leaning back just in time to see his mouth open. Grinning slightly he nodded. "Now drink zis before you get us both in trouble." He was then 'helped' to drink all the potions set beside him by an extremely amused Fleur. In reality she was keeping up a steady stream of threats to force him to drink them to him due to the fact that he started acting exactly like Gabrielle when confronted by medicine.

Harry still hadn't gotten the green light from the matron to leave the Hospital Wing, but for once he wasn't complaining. Something that had a lot to do with the fact that Fleur was making no effort to move away from the position Poppy had found them in. Helped along by how the matron had mysteriously disappeared and that they were the only people in the Hospital so they were more than content to spend the time making up for all the time they had lost while they had been busy with preparations for the second task.

He had been far almost spiked a fever when he found out that her mother had been in to see him and it took a lot of reassuring from her to calm him down and make him see that he was perfectly within his right to have been asleep after all that happened to him. He had also been rather surprised to find out that he was tying for second place with Krum seeing as he had been an idiot and taken the words of the song too seriously, although Fleur reasoned that he should have been the one to take first place since it was obvious he should have been the first to return with his hostage. Poison or not.

"I take it that Gabrielle and Aurélie are perfectly fine now?" He asked.

"Yes, apparently zey were all assured zat zey will not be 'armed in any way. Can't say ze same for you or Madame Maxime zough." She said with a smirk. Harry stared blankly back at her in confusion.

"Madame Maxime?"

"My maman was…not very pleased when she found what 'appened to Gabrielle." He grinned back at her.

"Did she meet her before she went back?"

"I didn't stay to find out." He chuckled softly but was immediately silenced by her next few words. "Aurélie wasn't very pleased zat you sent 'er up on 'er own"

"She wouldn't do anything to someone in bed right?" He asked timidly remembering the merciless tickling sessions he had with her on a number of occasions. Staying in bed for another few weeks suddenly didn't seem so bad anymore.

"You wish." His hopes plummeted. "I won't stop 'er if she decides to do anyzing. You need to learn your lesson." She added, ignoring his huge green eyes that were gazing imploringly at her.

"Stay with me?" He asked hopefully, his eyes betraying fear. This was too much for her and she burst out laughing.

"Are we all zat scary?"

"Like I said a long time ago. You have no idea."

"I won't stay when she gets 'ere." She replied sternly, deciding to play with him a little. He nodded sadly before asking quickly "Afterwards?"

She looked up at him seeing a faint blush on his cheeks and smiled softly at him before reaching up to peck his cheek.

"If you wanted me to stay all you 'ad to do was ask." He smiled brightly at her. Despite their current relationship he never failed to make her heart race when he did that and with a content sigh she snuggled back onto his chest.

"Do we have anything to work on for the third task?" He asked curiously after a few moments, unconsciously playing with her hair.

She frowned at his question. She hadn't really paid much attention to what Bagman had been shouting about after he was sent to the hospital wing. "Non…I don't zink anyone said anyzing about eet afterwards." He sighed in relief, that meant they had room to breathe at least. The weeks leading up to the second task had been the most exhausting in all his years in Hogwarts. Learning how to perform human transfiguration within a few weeks was something even he was proud of himself for despite his modesty.

"You should be worried." She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, placing her chin on his chest and looking up at him.

"Oh?" He asked with a small smile.

"I won't be letting you out of my sight again if I can 'elp eet." She said firmly. His grin grew wider.

"Far from a cause for worry." She grinned back and nuzzled into the crook of his neck playfully. Unfortunately their moment was ruined in the form of a high pitched voice which started quite loud but faded into silence in a matter of second

"Ha…oh umm, didn't see you…" Both turned to look at the two new arrivals in the form of red and bushy brown hair. Harry's happy smile slid off his face leaving it expressionless when he found that the two were none other than Ron and Hermione.

Hermione was rather pink on her face and Ron had gone a nasty purple color that reminded Harry forcibly of Uncle Vernon. The two were staring speechlessly at him, the reason for their discomfort clear as Fleur made no effort to get up off him and instead buried her face back on his chest with a small sigh while discreetly taking hold of his hand at the side.

"Can I help you Hermione?" He asked tonelessly making her flinch. He had spoken more than a few words with her occasionally after Christmas albeit guardedly but he had never been this cold with her since then. On his part, he had no quarrel with her however Ron was a completely different story and he was the main reason why Harry felt less than friendly towards Hermione right now.

He knew that Ron was only here because of Hermione the instant he set his eyes on him. From the way Hermione kept trying to speak to him coupled with the way Ron was tagging behind her lately he knew that she was trying her hardest to get them back to the way they were.

"How…how are you?" she asked. Forcing himself to smile he inclined his head.

"Alright thanks." The silence that followed was painful. Ron still hadn't moved an inch and neither had Fleur although she squeezed his hand comfortingly making him close his eyes and wish that when he opened them again it was just him and her. He opened them again after silently counting to 10 and bit back a groan. They were as still as statues. She opened her mouth again but Harry cut her off quickly.

"I'll see you later. I need to take my stuff again." She closed her mouth with a hurt expression but he didn't feel guilty about it. She had slowly been getting back on his nerves lately and he didn't trust himself to keep his calm façade around his two ex-best friends for too long. Especially seeing the way Ron and Hermione's eyes kept flitting to Fleur again and again.

"We'll see you later then Harry. When is Madam Promfey going to let you go?" She asked timidly.

"I dunno." He replied truthfully, managing a small smile at her. He knew he was being too cold to her but she needed to understand that forcing Ron on him will do no good and that she was going to be walking on very thin ice with him if she kept trying. She nodded and left with Ron, carefully treading on his toes as she turned around which made him smirk slightly when Ron winced noticeably before hurrying away after her without so much as a backwards glance.

Harry sighed softly before nudging Fleur who looked up and let out a sigh of relief when she found they were alone again.

"I never knew zat silence would be so…loud." She muttered uncertainly, not knowing if she made sense or not.

"Agreed." A new voice joined in, although it was much more welcoming to Harry.

"Daphne!" He exclaimed brightly startling Fleur slightly as a grinning blonde haired witch came into view.

"Geez Potter I have seen the two of you in school but never like this. I assumed it was safe to come in since that duo left just seconds ago. If I'm intruding I'll come back later." Her grin grew wider when said two sported identical blushes and a highly embarrassed Fleur slowly pulled herself to a sitting position. "I don't think we've been formally introduced yet have we? Daphne Greengrass, it's a pleasure to meet the woman that snagged this thick headed heap of trouble" She said with a smile and a jerk with her head towards Harry.

"Fleur Delacour, eet is nice to meet you too." Fleur replied happily while Harry smiled. He knew that she was always looking forward to making friends outside Beauxbatons.

"_Want to see him squirm a little?" _Daphne asked in perfectly fluent French, surprising both Fleur and Harry. Fleur glanced down at Harry who was now eyeing Daphne and her with an expression of dawning horror and grinned.

"_What have you got in mind?" _

"_Nothing much, just keep using French for now. If I'm right he'll break down within five minutes." _Fleur laughed while Daphne got a mischievous glint on her eyes and Harry moaned before cowering his face with a pillow. He didn't know what they were saying but seeing the glint on Daphne's eyes was enough to send shivers down his spine. When the two witches started conversing in rapid French Harry decided then and there that learning French was going to be his main priority once the tournament was over.

True to her word, barely three minutes had passed before Harry broke down and begged them to switch back to English, which they did although they had unnervingly identical evil grins on their faces afterwards for some time which did nothing to calm his state of panic and decided that he didn't even want to know what they had talked about for the last few minutes.

Fleur found that she liked Daphne a lot, finding her much easier to talk with. Heck, she was easier to talk with than the Gryffindor chasers. She had noticed the blonde haired girl with Harry countless times in the castle although she never had the chance to meet her. Initially, she had been rather jealous of her because it wasn't difficult to see that she and Harry were good friends.

They had a lot in common. Both loved Astronomy with a passion, both shared similar tastes in music and bands (wizarding _and _muggle surprisingly). Among all that, both loved making Harry uncomfortable.

"You are in Slytherin 'ouse oui?" She asked, noticing the serpent badge on her robes. Daphne smiled and nodded.

"Cunning and ambitious." She said pointing at herself, then she pointed at Harry. "Brave, foolish…could go either way." Fleur giggled while Harry looked at her with a mock hurt expression.

"If it wasn't for Malfoy I would have been in Slytherin." He whined.

"Really?" Fleur asked in surprise.

"Yeah. The sorting hat almost did put me in Slytherin. Due to my amazing luck the first Hogwarts student I met was Malfoy when I was getting my school robes and he made it pretty clear that he was set on going to Slytherin. He was a git then too. And well..." He shrugged, "I guess I also believed the sayings back then that everyone who went to Slytherin went dark so I asked it not to put me there."

Fleur couldn't help but feel glad that Harry had ended up in Gryffindor after all. Something told her that if he had been placed in Slytherin, things would have gone a lot differently and they might not have even met, let alone begin a relationship. Probably due to the girl in front of her.

"Hey! I resent that." Daphne huffed making Harry grin at her.

"The key word there was, 'believed'." He quipped. Fleur grinned as Daphne tried and failed to keep up her offended look.

"Where do you two zink I would go?" Fleur asked curiously, looking at both of them in turn. Harry cocked his head sideways with a thoughtful expression while Daphne frowned, her expression mirroring his. He'd never really thought about that. The three lapsed into silence while each tried to figure out where she would go if she were ever sorted.

Remembering the qualities for each of the four houses Harry decided that she probably would fit in any of the houses, except for Slytherin…maybe. She was all in all, perfect in his unbiased opinion and possessed all of the good qualities. Intelligent, brave, loyal… but then again…she actually would fit in with Slytherin as well. Even though she wasn't the type to be cunning, she doeshave ambition and a thirst to prove herself, her main reason why she is competing in this tournament in the first place. Hadn't the hat told him those exact same words? _"A nice thirst to prove yourself." _

It was Daphne who broke the silence. "You probably would fit in on any of the houses. Although Gryffindor would be my best bet after seeing the way you dived back in the lake for him." She said with a thoughtful expression and looked up to see the faint blush covering the pair's faces again and grinned. "You two will be so fun to tease."

They talked for a while longer until Poppy came back and informed them that it was time for lunch and that she needed to check up on Harry again, suggesting that the Fleur and Daphne go down to get lunch for the time being.

Harry who had been thoroughly enjoying their company and having Fleur close by was a little sad that they had to go mentally reprimanded himself since it wasn't fair of him for trying to keep Fleur near him the whole day, locked up inside with him. And besides, she had to go eat too despite her protests and so after a bit of persuading from both Harry and Poppy, Daphne lead a reluctant Fleur out of the hospital wing and down to the Great Hall for lunch.

He had almost fallen asleep after being forced to eat while Poppy watched over him when he got a visit from the one person he had been dreading ever since Fleur had brought her to his attention. Aurélie.

As soon as she arrived she wordlessly sat down at the foot of his bed and glared at him for about a minute, rendering him unable to speak. Her usually warm brown eyes had the same cold look that Fleur had given him in the morning before starting to grill him. Resigning himself to his fate, he sighed and closed his eyes and waited for the upcoming outburst.

Instead of the telling off he expected, he received a sharp, stinging pain on his arm which he recognized as a stinging hex. It was something that he had gotten hit frequently by from Sirius during their duels although this one was significantly less painful.

"Zat was for sending me up on my own." She said softly. "And…" He kept his eyes tightly closed, bracing himself for whatever was coming. Nothing could have ever prepared him for what came though.

His eyes flew open in shock when he felt something soft come into contact with his lips and he found himself staring at her eyes which were closed, her light blue hair tickling his cheeks. She pulled away after a few seconds with a small smile and slightly pink on her face.

"Zat was for saving me." It took a full five seconds for Harry to shake himself back to reality and by that time Aurélie was already giggling.

"Y-you..I wh…huh?" Was all he could manage and she burst into uncontrolled laughter.

"If you want more you'll 'ave to save me again." She whispered audibly with a wink making him blush and look away. "But…" Her voice returned to normal suddenly and her expression became stern again. "What were you zinking? Sending me up alone, you could 'ave woken me up! Or better yet you should 'ave resurfaced ze moment you knew somezing was wrong. 'Ow could you?!" He inwardly groaned, it had been naïve of him to think that this could have been avoided.

"It won't happen again." He said meekly. She huffed and sat back down on the chair next to him and folded her arms.

"I will 'old you onto zat." Then her expression softened. "Fleur was wiz you from ze morning?"

"Yeah, she was next to me when I woke up." She nodded absentmindedly.

"Zought so…we would 'ave come to see you in ze morning but we decided to just let ze two of you be. Did she go off on you?" She asked with malicious glint in her eyes. Harry grimaced.

"She uhm…expressed her disapproval of my actions." She smiled knowingly and Harry opened his mouth to speak before falling silent again. This was not gone unnoticed by her and she gave him a questioning look, waiting for him to speak. "I almost thought she was angry with me when she spoke to me in the morning. I wasn't expecting her to react like that…"

"She wasn't angry 'Arry." She said gently giving him a reassuring smile. "She was worried sick about you ever since she pulled you out of ze lake even zough she tried to 'ide eet. I don't zink she even got a lot of sleep last night." She paused before sighing softly. "We all were worried about you. I would never 'ave forgiven myself if you..." She trailed off quietly. Harry hung his head down in shame.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"'As anyone ever told you zat you apologize too much?" She asked, cocking her head sideways at him and Harry managed a small smile at that. "Just don't do anyzing stupid like zat again. You need to know zat wiz your actions you not only 'urt yourself but everyone else zat cares about you. Especially Fleur."

"I won't." She shook her head slightly.

"Why do I 'ave such a 'ard time believing zat…" Harry looked offended and she grinned. They spent the rest of the time waiting for the others who were probably going to turn up soon chatting and teasing each other. Harry noticed that apart from Fleur, Aurélie was the only person he was the most comfortable with. It wasn't like he was uncomfortable with the others he always hung around with but he founded himself opening up to her more than the others, occasionally confiding in her things that he'd only revealed to Fleur.

It wasn't like he was attracted to her. True, she was an attractive witch, seconded only by Fleur. But Fleur was to put it simply, the only woman in his life. What he and Fleur had was something that no one could even hope to come in between. Aurélie had become one of the people that he considered as his closest friends, something far more than what Ron and Hermione had ever been.

A little later Fleur returned with the others in tow. Caroline and Amy reacted similarly, both chiding him for his 'complete disregard of personal safety' while the others watched in amusement as he cowered under the blankets. No matter what anyone said, getting chewed out in varying levels of intensity by four females in one day was extremely draining.

They all stayed for as long as they could without annoying Poppy who was getting increasingly annoyed due to the number of people gathered around his bed. Occasionally additional people dropped by like Hagrid, Neville and Professor McGonagall. Even Dumbledore turned up, apologizing to him for what happened and also to Fleur for the issue with Gabrielle. It was clear that Apolline had expressed her anger at the ageing headmaster too.

Finally as soon as Dumbledore left, Poppy cracked and demanded that everyone leave right after Dumbledore left saying that he needed his rest. She did however grudgingly allow Fleur to stay on the condition that they didn't have a repeat performance of their actions from the morning, something that the blushing couple were quick to agree to in order to escape the highly interested gazes on them from the others.

Just as darkness was beginning to settle in, Lupin and Sirius (in dog form) came in. Lupin gently shook Harry awake who had fallen asleep with Fleur snuggled up next to him who he decided to let sleep seeing as she hadn't gotten too much sleep last night. Lupin had an uncharacteristic smirk on his face as he watched Harry stammering rather quietly trying to explain why Fleur was asleep next to him and the only thing that stopped Harry from throttling Lupin and Sirius, who despite being in dog form, he knew was sporting a perverted grin was because he didn't want to wake Fleur up.

They left soon afterwards, promising Harry that they would come back to see him again tomorrow and in turn getting a promise from him that no matter what, he wouldn't exert himself even if Poppy gave him the green light and allowed him to return to the school.

Soon after they left, Harry gently shook Fleur awake. As much as he liked having her with him, he didn't want to let her go in the dead of the night back to the carriage alone. That and it was almost time for dinner. After a final chaste kiss she departed, leaving Harry with an empty feeling inside of him and wondering how he was going to cope being separated from her after this year.

* * *

It took another two days and a lot of pressuring from Harry to convince Poppy that he was as fit as anyone could possibly be before she finally agreed to let him go. The poison in his body had been cleaned out of his system on the same day he was brought in but she had still kept on insisting that he stay until she was perfectly sure that he was alright. It wasn't like he hated being in the hospital, seeing as Fleur was always there with him for the majority of the day. But he had still been longing for a chance to stretch his legs.

Harry slipped back into normal routine with classes. Within the next few months, the school year would be done with, meaning this whole thing would be over one way or another.

None of the other champions had received any word about the upcoming third and final task which was a cause of worry for the four of them. The month of February was over in the blink of an eye and they already halfway through March now. Therefore it came as a relief when Professor McGonagall handed him a note telling him to meet Bagman down at the Quidditch pitch in the evening one Thursday after Transfiguration.

Harry who had Charms last had actually forgotten about it and was halfway along the way to the Gryffindor tower to drop his bag when he remembered and sprinted back down to the grounds, angrily sending Malfoy and his cronies sprawling across the floor when he tried to block his way with a flick of his wand that appeared on his hand faster than anyone could see. As of late, Malfoy had started gloating about how he needed his girlfriend to save him from the lake and had steadily been getting on his nerves despite the control he had with Occlumency.

When he reached the Quidditch pitch he came to a sudden halt and stared with horror at what had happened. The pitch now had hedges growing all over it, some overlapping the others. It was in his opinion, ruined for a lack of a better word.

Seeing a faint light at the center he slowly made his way towards it, as he approached he could just make out 4 figures, 1 of who he recognized immediately from the length of silver hair that stood out in the darkness. Fleur smiled radiantly at him when he approached and took his hand as soon as he was near while the other three just looked at the pair in amusement and in some cases, slightly wistful. Bagman coughed slightly to get their attention and grinned his trademark schoolboy grin.

"Right, now that everyone is here, we can get started. Now, who can tell me what we have growing here." He asked brightly.

Harry and Cedric were busy glancing around in disgust while Krum grunted, "Hedges."

"Correct, and don't worry you two…once this is over you will have your Quidditch pitch back to normal." Bagman said, his smile never leaving his face. "Any guesses for what the third task is?"

This time it was Fleur who answered. "Maze?" Bagman nodded at her.

"Right in one. Just as she said, it's a maze. Your job is to navigate to the center of the maze where the cup stands. The first to get to the cup will be crowned the winning champion. Of course, things won't be as simple as just navigating through the maze. It will be filled with a number of enchantments, puzzles and creatures that you will have to find your way past." The four of them nodded in understanding.

"Now, as the points stand, Mr. Potter is in first place. Followed by Miss Delacour, Mr. Krum and Mr. Diggory. Therefore Mr. Potter will enter first and have a two minute head start before the next champion enters, and so on. The task will take place on June 24th, you have time till then to prepare yourself as best you can. As you all know, you are all exempted from your final exams so use the time for preparations. Any questions?" No one spoke and Bagman nodded in satisfaction. "Let's start heading back to the castle shall we? It's getting a bit chilly…"

* * *

Not knowing exactly how and what to prepare for, Harry consulted with Sirius and Lupin the next day with Fleur who he had brought despite her protests. They had suggested that the best way to prepare would be to expand knowledge on various enchantments and navigation spells in addition to increasing the number of their offensive and defensive spells.

Harry immediately began searching for penetrating and piercing spells. Something told him that Hagrid would be having a hand with the creatures for the maze and he was willing to bet his Firebolt that there will be at least one of those things in the maze. Said Skrewts had now grown almost as big as a normal human and even Hagrid was having trouble handling them.

Since then Harry and Fleur had been helping each other learn new spells seeing as it wasn't anything they had to figure out on their own. Both of them were able to master new spells at an alarmingly fast rate.

Sirius and Lupin were surprised and pleased with the two's proficiency at being able to grasp the theory behind N.E.W.T and higher level spells and charms although they suspected that the way the two kept progressing was due to the fact that they were both helping each other out and as Aurélie and Caroline soon came to find out, both were really good teachers. By the end of each week, their knowledge of spells and enchantments kept growing.

They had gotten permission from Professor McGonagall to use empty classrooms in order to practice since it was a little annoying to keep climbing up to the 7th floor for the Room of Requirement at every free period they had. She had readily agreed which made things easier. Even Aurélie, Caroline and sometimes dropped in to help them in any way they could, ending up with them learning how to cast each spell from Harry and Fleur.

Harry got a surprise one day when he was approached by Professor McGonagall who asked him to meet her and Professor Flitwick at her office later in the day. Wondering what this was about, he went to her office in the evening after his final lesson for the evening (Astronomy, today was just theory) and knocked on the door trying to ignore the feeling that he had done something wrong and thought wildly whether the twins had pulled any pranks that connected to him somehow. Hearing the stiff "Enter." made his shoulders sag noticeably and he entered the room to see the tiny Charms professor sitting on a stool beside Professor McGonagall.

"No need to look so scared, you haven't done anything wrong. Have a seat" She said with a hint of amusement in her voice while Professor Flitwick chuckled. Harry nodded nervously before sitting down. No one spoke for a while as Professor McGonagall pulled out some files and began rifling through them before reaching a page and scanning it with a satisfied expression and leaning forward.

"I want your honest opinion Mr. Potter, do you find the classes challenging to you now?" Harry who was briefly taken aback at the question thought about it for a few moments and shook his head.

"Not really Professor…" He muttered. He didn't mean to sound immodest, but it was the truth. Most of the classes had him sitting bored or with his nose buried in yet another book to help prepare for the third task. Not even the extra work the Professors gave him was enough to keep him busy anymore. Even Snape set additional work for Harry although he was sure it was only because he didn't want to him to have even a moment of peace in his classroom.

"I thought as much." She replied and exchanged a look with the Charms professor. "You have proven to be an exceptional student Mr. Potter. I must say if I haven't already, I was very pleased with your Transfiguration work at the second task…very pleased indeed. Not even half of my seventh years could have managed that and you did so without my guidance. I suppose you learnt that from a book?"

Slightly embarrassed he nodded. She smiled thinly at him, "I must confess, we have been testing you in the main subject areas and the results we have got back are very promising. I think you should know that as you stand now, you have already finished with your 4th year's work and are more than halfway through the workload for the 5th year." His mouth fell open in surprise eliciting another chuckle from Professor Flitwick. "If I'm right, by the end of the year with your current pace you will be ready to take your O.W.L examinations. With a little brushing up of course."

Harry gazed dumbly at the two professors trying to find anything in their faces that he could use to tell they were joking. Sadly he couldn't.

"But…how?" He asked hoarsely. Professor Flitwick spoke up now.

"You may not have realized it Mr. Potter, but all the books we have given you for your extra work are the same books that the fifth years use." He said with a grin at the dumbstruck expression on the boy's face.

"But I've just been reading and doing the stuff in them…" He muttered uncertainly.

"Indeed you have, and the fact that you've been successful so far is enough proof to us that you will be able to do what we have in mind. Should you find it agreeable of course." Professor McGonagall added. Harry tilted his head sideways.

"What do you have in mind Professor?" Unless he was seeing things, he was sure that she chuckled.

"Sorry about that, but your mother used to keep doing that when she asked a question." She said with a smile and he grinned sheepishly. "Back to the matter at hand, all of the Professors have agreed with us that you should be able to take the O.W.L exams by the end of the year. Yes Mr. Potter, even Professor Snape." She added when she saw the incredulous look on his face.

"Bathsheda and Aurora have informed me that you will need some private tutoring from each of them. But that is only due to the extensive amount of theory behind Ancient Runes and Astronomy. But both have assured me that they can bring you up to speed soon"

"But Professor, with the tournament I really don't think I can prepare for those exams right now…" She nodded.

"Yes, but you can do the exams in summer. The Department of Magical Education at the Ministry offers special examination services to students who show promise such as you. There are many young students all over the world who take these examinations at a young age so they will not be held back and thereby wasting their potential. The youngest to have ever taken the O. is a twelve year old from Australia if memory serves me right."

"Think about it Mr. Potter, if you do decide to do this and succeed, you will be skipping you're the whole 5th year and you will be placed with the 6th years. It will look good on your credentials when you graduate, to say that you have skipped a year is an achievement. Not to mention that it has been years since this school had a student who has a potential such as yours." Professor Flitwick added earnestly.

"Keep in mind that we are not pressuring you to do this, but it's apparent that if you take up your fifth year classes next year, you will effectively be wasting a whole year." Professor McGonagall finished. Harry leaned back on his chair, thinking hard about what they've said.

If he accepted he would effectively be shortening his time in Hogwarts from 3 years to only 2. If this proposal had been given to him just last year, he would never have accepted it. He enjoyed his time in Hogwarts, it was the first place he had felt at home and just last year, he would have done anything to lengthen his time here.

He found himself considering the idea, the castle…while it still did feel like home to him, it wasn't the same as it was the last few years. Without Ron and Hermione it wasn't the same. However, he had no desire to go back to that. Despite the tournament, attempts on his life, dreams, visions…despite everything bad this year he could honestly say that this was his best year in Hogwarts yet.

He had never understood Hermione's thirst for knowledge but he had realized what the importance was of having knowledge and working hard to obtain it. The first time he had read through the books on combat and defensive magic that Sirius had given him, he had unknowingly come to accept the saying 'Knowledge is power'. Apparently this had led him down the path to his current situation. He needed to think about this, ask Sirius and Lupin and perhaps even Fleur and the others.

"Do I have to decide now?" He asked, the two professors had been quiet the whole time while he had been giving it some thought.

"No, definitely not today." Professor McGonagall assured him. "However it would help that if you do decide to go along with this, you should inform me at least by the end of next week. I daresay you will want to get advice from your guardians." From the slight twinkle in her eyes he knew she wasn't talking about the Dursleys.

"Thank you." He said gratefully.

"Albus was most pleased when we told him about you." Professor Flitwick piped up. "He was one of the few in Hogwarts who was faced with the same decisions as you do now. And I am sure your mother would have been ecstatic, she too was one of the few that did this."

"My mother skipped a year too?" He asked curiously. He'd never heard about this from Sirius or Lupin. How did she and his father meet then? Unless of course his father did the same too? Professor McGonagall nodded.

"She did. But she returned decided to stay for her final year and apprentice under Filius during her 7th and final year. Even your father had the potential to do the same…" Here her voice became stern. "But he was more interested in Quidditch and pranks." Harry grinned at this, this sounded exactly like him from what Sirius and Lupin had been telling him.

"Is there anything else professor?" He asked, looking at the two of them in turn.

"If you have no more questions Mr. Potter, you can go." Professor McGonagall said kindly. "But please note that we will need an answer latest by next week." Harry nodded and after bidding the two professors good night, left with his mind full of what he just heard.

* * *

Both Sirius and Lupin had broken away from their usual teachings. He now had to do his early morning physical exercises which he always did back when he was playing Quidditch. With Sirius they had stopped using magic and Sirius was now training him to fight in the way that Sirius had dubbed 'Marauder style.'

It wasn't too bad. At least it wasn't as bad as Harry had been expecting. It wasn't anything like what he had seen in the muggle world. Sirius was merciless and now Harry always walked away from the Room of Requirement sporting new bruises and aching all over although they always healed by the morning thanks to a special ointment that Lupin provided him with at the end of each day.

They didn't do any fancy moves or stand in the ways that had always made Harry giggle when he had seen Dudley perform them in the middle of the living room while his parents showered him with praises. It was simply a way to fight based entirely on reaction. Sirius applied the same rules he uses in dueling, strike first and strike hard. Carefully watching your opponent and reacting accordingly played a significant role too.

Sirius also showed the exact points to aim for on another person's body that would incapacitate them easily or deprive them of air giving him the upper hand. Slowly as the lessons kept going, Harry started to enjoy the brawls he had with his godfather and after a month into their training Sirius was beginning to walk away sporting nasty bruises as well.

Harry didn't fail to notice that he was getting better physically as well. With the added tweaks to his usual Quidditch training routine he was started to feel more lighter on his feet and his stamina had started to pick up too. Even though he didn't notice it, he was getting slightly taller and his arms were getting more defined, filling him out little by little in places that he had been too skinny in.

They still did duel with magic occasionally, each duel now lasting longer than the last. The fact that Sirius was, in reality, also getting trained as well during the lessons meant that both were improving at a steady pace. Both were now faster, causing the duels to become more fast paced and brutal as both tried to get the upper hand on the other. Neither tired easily anymore and Harry was even able to cast almost all of his spells with much more power behind them. He also delved more into the 'grey' or 'dark' area of combat magic although he never used any of them against Sirius despite his protests.

Lupin had also stopped teaching Occlumency deeming that Harry's mental barriers were now as strong as his own meaning that it was safe from external penetration. Harry still had moments when he would find himself staring at a certain white tree. However something in him knew that it wasn't anything to do with Voldemort and that it was something meant for him and him only so he never said anything about it.

That didn't mean that Lupin was through with him though. This had merely opened up the path to areas that had been previously inaccessible. Harry got his first shock when Sirius after getting a nod from Lupin proceeded to give him a royal trouncing in a duel, rendering Harry almost helpless. The reason for this was that Sirius started applying pressure to his mind via Legilemency and could easily predict what spells Harry was going to use a split second before he did. Harry who had always been concentrating on the duels, leaving his mind completely unguarded was caught unawares.

Thus began the agonizing job of dueling while keeping the mental barriers up. This irritated him because it made him feel like he did a few months ago when Sirius had an overwhelming upper hand against him. But, as Sirius and Lupin both assured him, he would eventually get the hang of it and with the way he started improving again, they were proven correct. So the weeks blurred together with duels and brawling leaving an extremely drained Harry at the end of each day but also making him more confident in his abilities as even he couldn't deny the way he was improving.

Lupin also promised that when summer comes around, he would start teaching Harry Legilimency seeing as it was too valuable a skill to pass up. Something which Harry agreed to quite enthusiastically.

Harry had spoken at length with Sirius, Lupin, Fleur and even Dumbledore about Professor McGonagall's proposal. Sirius had immediately taken on a mock hurt expression, saying that he had failed James and steered Harry down his mother's path but he could tell his godfather was proud of him. Lupin was delighted. Dumbledore also had surveyed him proudly and said that he could do anything he wanted.

In the end Harry had accepted. The advantages of skipping the year were far greater than the disadvantages. If he was honest, he wasn't hadn't been particularly looking forward to next year. Not having Fleur and the French witches around meant that his schooldays were dreary as he had quickly come to realize. He didn't exactly like it, but he had drifted away from the others in his year apart from Daphne.

If he was successful, he would effectively be graduating from Hogwarts when he was 16 years old. Even though the normal age for witches and wizards to be emancipated was 17, special arrangements could be made for people who graduate from school after taking their N.E.W.T level exams for them to receive full rights as an adult, including being able to use magic outside of school. This also meant that he would be starting on his career path sooner than anticipated, which was still unknown to him. Sirius and Lupin promised to help him decide later.

When he told Fleur about this, she had been ecstatic. This meant that they were going to be back together full time a year earlier than she anticipated. She hadn't been too thrilled with the thought of only being able to see him during holidays for the next 3 years. She did have an idea that she wanted to discuss with her parents that would work out with her career choice she was leaning on and let her be closer to Harry at the same time for the years he was in school, but that was for a later time.

She knew that Harry had been serious about her from the start and she about him. It was clear with how their relationship had kept progressing over a relatively short amount of time and at times she would catch herself imagining life in the future with Harry, something which was more than appealing to her. If Harry did this that dream would get closer. She never mentioned any of this to Harry although she had no idea that the exact same thoughts had been running in his mind from time to time, albeit less frequently. In his defense he is still a male.

With his decision made, the teachers increased his work load. Now he wasn't even doing the same things as the rest of the class were. Even though this raised many curious glances, the most curious being Hermione, no one asked him about it.

Despite the work, Harry still managed to keep up although now he had to put a lot of effort into it and he was beginning to look as worn out and tired as he did back at the beginning of the year. The teachers were nevertheless astounded. Even Snape who was beginning to see that he was absolutely nothing like his father and his usual look of loathing had decreased in intensity a little. All of them agreed on two things, the boy had a talent with magic and had inherited his mother's brilliance. It was only a pity that he hadn't started off like this from his first year at Hogwarts.

He also stopped preparing specifically for the third task as the month of May rolled in. What with the schoolwork and lessons with Sirius and Lupin which despite their protests he refused to stop, there was really not too much time left on his hands. To be honest, he really had nothing more to prepare with for the third task as did Fleur. Both of them had gone over everything possible and right now all they needed was practice. Something which he already got from his duels with Sirius and admittedly, that is a lot more useful than just poring over books over and over again.

He had a little private tutoring from Professor Babbling and Professor Sinistra for a few hours in the evening after dinner on random days, whenever they were free. Somehow word had gotten out about this and he was subjected to more envious stares than ever due to the fact that Aurora Sinistra, their Astronomy professor was an attractive witch that had many students had their eyes on. She was still 22 years old, the youngest teacher in Hogwarts. She was far more relaxed than any of the other professors and his relationship with her was more like a friendship than a student/teacher one ever since she had walked in on him during his third year in the middle of the night alone in the Astronomy tower.

It wasn't only him that was getting absorbed in schoolwork. Fleur, Aurélie, Caroline and Amy were more or less busy with school work too since it was their final year in school after all. Even though Fleur didn't have to take any exams to take she refused to disregard her school work since it was all important for when they graduate after all. Even the twins were studying hard since they were going to be taking their O.W.L exams this year. His own O.W.L exams were already set for him to take on the third week of August.

Moody was starting to creep him out now. During classes Moody kept staring at him all through class and he kept turning up suddenly behind him when he least expected it. Harry dismissed this as his usual behavior, he had heard the rumors surrounding the ex-Auror and his behavior fit in perfectly with them. Also he had a slight suspicion that Dumbledore might have asked him to keep an eye on him. He was told that when he had gotten poisoned Dumbledore had been beyond furious due to the fact that it was done so neatly that it was virtually impossible to track to a culprit since any of the house elves could have done it, under an Imperius curse or not.

Nevertheless, there was still something off about him and Harry found himself unconsciously keeping a tight grip on his wand whenever he was near.

* * *

As the month of May drew to a finish Harry was beginning to feel nervous about the third task and he was getting increasingly depressed. Even though he was hoping he could spend the summer with Fleur and the others in France (he still hadn't asked Dumbledore but Sirius assured him that they could work something out), he wasn't going to be able to go back with them most probably. And the chance of not being able to go to France was still possible. From the way Fleur rarely left his side unless absolutely necessary he knew his thoughts were shared by her. But neither of them mentioned it to each other, instead concentrating on enjoying the time they had left.

Too soon for his liking, they were now only a week away from June 24th and due to his nerves he had stopped the schoolwork and gone back to concentrating on going through everything they had decided would be useful for the third task. In fact, he was almost done with the school front and besides, he had plenty of time to prepare for the exams after the task.

On the evening of the 22nd, Professor McGonagall approached him and Fleur during lunch.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Delacour, your family and friends have arrived to offer their support for the final task. They're waiting just outside in the courtyard." Harry grinned, it was probably Lupin and Sirius in his dog form. That grin was however replaced by an anxious look when he realized Fleur's family was here.

Fleur, sensing his discomfort took his hand and pulled him out of the chair and pulled him with her out of the hall after Cedric and Krum. "Don't worry 'Arry, zey don't bite." She said humorously.

"Easy for you to say." He muttered. When they reached the courtyard they found Cedric and Krum already with their parents. Krum was conversing rapidly in Bulgarian with his parents, a dark haired man from who Krum obviously had inherited his trademark scowl from and a rather attractive, ebony haired witch with hazel eyes. Cedric's father Amos waved at him when he saw him.

"_Maman! Papa!" _Fleur ran off to greet her parents who were standing at a corner with Gabrielle. Ignoring the slight feeling of sadness watching her engulf her mother and father with a hug he glanced around the room locating the familiar black dog and Lupin who were waiting for him and walked over to them, noticing that Lupin's smile was a little strained and Sirius was sitting rather wearily. The smile that spread across his face faltered slightly when he realized Mrs. Weasley was standing next to them eyeing Fleur and the Delacours with an expression of distaste.

Ignoring her Harry first greeted Lupin with a hug, it had after all been two weeks since he last saw them since they had to leave on one of their secret outings as Harry had begun to call it and petted Sirius before turning to Mrs. Weasley who immediately pulled him into a bone breaking hug.

"Just thought we'd come by and watch you on the third task." She said brightly and Harry stepped back wearily.

"We?"

"Bill and Charlie came too, they're down at the grounds talking to Hagrid. And…" Her voice dropped in volume. "It's good to see that you stopped associating with _them_." She added in a stage whisper and a nod towards Fleur and her family who were still conversing with each other in French although Fleur's mother looked up at that moment and caught his eye and smiled while Gabrielle waved at him shyly when she saw him looking and he grinned and waved back, fighting the anger that was coursing through him at Mrs. Weasley's words. They were near them but not near enough to hear what Mrs. Weasley had said and for that he was thankful.

He turned back to her who was watching him disapprovingly and he took a moment to draw up his Occlumency barriers. This had to end now, he didn't need this. Not in front of Fleur and her parents. His fingers twitched irritably and green sparks crackled between them making her back away a little, alarm beginning to show on her face while Sirius sat up straighter.

"Who told you I have stopped seeing my girlfriend?" He asked tonelessly, taking care to keep his voice to a bare minimum so that none of the others apart from Sirius and Lupin heard. She flinched at his icy glare; she'd never seen it appear on his face before.

"No one, I assumed you did." She replied in a tone that he'd heard her use countless times with the twins and Ron. Harry smiled coldly.

"Why would you think that?" She gaped at him.

"The letter…I thought you…"

"Yes…the letter. Did you wonder why I never sent a reply Mrs. Weasley?" He asked politely. "It wasn't because I accepted what you told me to do. It was simply because I ignored it." The temperature dropped a few notches and he saw that Lupin had the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face while Sirius was wagging his tail fast. If he was in his human form, Harry was sure he would have been trying his hardest to stop himself from bursting out in laughter.

Mrs. Weasley looked stunned before she visibly grew more angry, her ears coloring in the trademark sign that was the foreshadowing of an angered Weasley. Sensing an outburst Harry murmured, "Please keep your voice down. The other champion's parents are still here."

"Now listen here young man." She said fiercely, her voice shaking slightly. "That is not the way to talk to an elder, I will not…"

"Mrs. Weasley, don't start trying to teach me how to act around my elders. I'm pretty sure I can and have managed to do so up till now without you telling me to. I'm also sure I can manage in the future without your teachings so don't start now." Mrs. Weasley seemed to swell in anger, her expression was one that could have had the twins cowering in fear in front of her but he refused to back down.

"That…creature has been a terrible influence on you. What would your parents-"

"That's enough." Lupin interrupted quietly, looking at Harry who had gone rigid while Sirius growled audibly. Both of them knew about the letter from mistress Weasley and neither had been happy about it to say the least. Mrs. Weasley looked at Lupin, opening her mouth to reprimand him for interrupting her when she followed his gaze back to Harry whose hands twitched again and green sparks danced around his fingers menacingly.

"Don't call her that." He snapped, his voice increased in volume. "You have no right to keep asking me what my parents would think. Don't pretend you would know how they think and try to enforce what you want me to do through them." He paused while Sirius whined slightly and Lupin mentally congratulated Harry for regaining control. Even though Harry wasn't aware of it, he knew Harry was starting to channel his magic wandlessly and it could easily have escalated.

"I am not your son. Never been and never will be. I am just the boy who spent a couple of summers over at his best friend's place. Just because I did that doesn't give you the right to make me do anything or interfere in my life. I choose who I want to be with and seeing as I have no parents thanks to Voldemort there is only one person who can tell me otherwise and he is happy for me. If my parents were with me I am sure that they would also be happy for me." Mrs. Weasley was frozen stiff, disbelief etched on her face. Was this the same boy she that had spent the last summer with them?

"I appreciate everything you have done for me over the summer and I appreciate you coming to watch the task. There is nothing beyond that, you're my friend's mother and I respect you for that. Don't make me lose that by trying to come in between me and Fleur. She is the woman I want to be with and no matter how much you interfere that will not change." He said, his voice devoid of any emotion again and walked away swiftly, disappearing through the door leading to the grounds leaving her staring at his retreating back in disbelief. Sirius suddenly got up and bounded off after him.

Thankfully no one had heard the exchange between them except for Fleur and her parents who had been close enough to hear everything that Harry said when he had raised his voice. Fleur was visibly upset as was her parents looked angry and saddened at the same time. Mrs. Delacour looked worriedly at the door Harry had disappeared through before whispering something in Fleur's ear who nodded and disappeared through the same door with Gabrielle clinging onto her hand. But not before sparing a frosty glare at Mrs. Weasley.

Lupin sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly before moving to greet Cedric's parents who were old acquaintances and gazing over at them in interest. He nodded at Mr. and Mrs. Delacour who greeted him politely and joined him in greeting the others leaving Mrs. Weasley looking extremely flustered before disappearing into the castle.

Fleur knew where Harry was headed. Soon enough she found him sitting at the usual spot by the lake with Sirius sitting at his side. She smiled at the sight, she knew Sirius wanted to talk to Harry, to comfort him and was probably frustrated at not being able to transform back because someone might see. She drew closer with Gabrielle, hoping that Harry had not broken down again. It tore hurt her to see him like that.

Thankfully he hadn't. He looked up as they approached and smiled sadly at her before pulling Gabrielle towards him making the little girl squeal before laughing and cuddled up in his arms as he managed a happy smile and ruffled her hair.

"Did you hear everything?" He asked softly, looking up at Fleur. Sirius had walked away giving them some privacy and was now splashing around in the water much to Gabrielle's amusement.

"Not ze beginning…but yes, we did 'ear some of it." He shook his head ruefully.

"How can I face your parents like this?"

"No…'Arry zey understand. Zey are waiting for you to come back when you feel like eet. If anyzing zey zink more highly of you now." She said softly. He didn't look like he believed her but nodded all the same.

"I'll come, I just…need a few moments." She nodded and sat down next to him and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Gabrielle mock glared at her making her laugh while Harry managed a small grin.

"Looks like I 'ave competition." She said with an evil grin that was directed towards her little sister.

"_He's mine too!" _Gabrielle piped up making her laugh while Harry chuckled as the miniature version of Fleur grabbed hold of his arm.

About half an hour later, during which Sirius had come and dripped water around Gabrielle making her give chase while Harry and Fleur watched in amusement, they made their way back to the castle where they found Lupin and the Delacours sitting in the courtyard waiting for them. Apolline looked bored as the two men were conversing in low voices but she immediately brightened up when she saw them come.

"Ze last time I saw you was in ze 'ospital after ze second task." Apolline said with a grin as she pulled a highly embarrassed Harry into a hug.

"Yeah…sorry for being asleep." He replied sheepishly and she laughed melodiously before winking at Fleur.

"'E is ze same as you described him." Dominique strode forward with a grin and grasped his hand in a firm handshake. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes that made Harry instantly wary.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" He asked in an accent-free voice like he was asking about the weather. Harry immediately froze while he and Lupin started laughing.

"Stop scaring 'im papa." Fleur said reproachfully although she had a smile tugging on her lips.

"What? You and I both know I'm going to ask him that question at some point." Harry's eyes widened in horror causing renewed laughter before they finally decided to take pity on him.

"Mind giving us a tour of before dinner 'Arry?" Apolline asked and soon the seven of them were roaming around the castle. Harry slowly grew more relaxed and was soon laughing and talking with Fleur's parents as they worked their way up the castle and ventured out to the grounds, pointing out points of interest. The even went by the Quidditch pitch which was now entirely covered by extremely tall hedges. It certainly did look like a proper maze now.

Dominique pulled him aside while Fleur and the others were watching the whomping willow. Harry felt slightly nervous as he waited for him to speak even though he had a gentle smile on his face.

"You know that my job as a father is to scare the boy that is courting my daughter right?" He began. Harry smiled slightly, Dominique was a lot like Sirius and that put him at ease.

"Yes sir." He replied nervously.

"None of the 'sir' business." He said sternly. "Fleur wrote to us and told us a lot about you. I have hardly ever seen her speak about any boy like she does about you. Nor have I ever seen her act this way around one either. She is happy, no doubt about that and you are the reason why she is and for that you have my thanks." He paused for a moment, watching Fleur who was holding Gabrielle in her arms, laughing as Sirius kept gamboling around Apolline while Lupin was watching in amusement.

"It didn't come as a surprise to us when she mentioned that you two had started going out together. But…even if she hadn't told us, we have seen that it has become something more than that. Is that right?" He asked, his expression serious.

"Yes, it has." Harry said, allowing his voice to take on a firm edge to which Dominique gave an approving nod.

"I know you are not a child Harry, may I call you Harry?" He asked with a small smile to which Harry nodded quickly. "I am not going to treat you like one seeing as you would never have gotten Fleur's attention if you were one. I will not stand between her and her wishes. Especially seeing as the one she has set her sights on has declared that she is and I quote, 'The woman I want to be with.'" He smirked when Harry blushed bright red at this. He didn't know exactly how much they had heard.

"I'm really sorry about what happened earlier" Harry said quietly.

"Don't be. You weren't responsible for it. Also, that type of reaction is not uncommon. Apolline faced that too and try as I might, I couldn't stop the bigoted fools then and I learnt to stop caring about them. All that mattered was her and I kept it that way." He said with a sad smile. "You reminded me a lot of myself today Harry. That did a lot to calm my worries and answered a lot of questions I had about you. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but know that I will not forgive anyone who hurts my daughter."

Harry nodded; he wasn't intimidated or nervous with him anymore. He understood those feelings. He couldn't even dream of hurting Fleur in any way and from the look on Dominique's face, he knew that he already trusted him enough and that this was the best form of approval he could get from the man.

"I won't." He said sincerely and held the man's gaze. Dominique's face broke into a genuine smile.

"We'll get along just fine. Now let's get back to them. I can already feel Fleur's gaze drilling holes into my back."

**AN: I am actually a little nervous to see the responses with this chapter. I have dropped a pretty big twist that will give you guys an idea of what to expect when the next year begins. **

**Hope I didn't go too excessively into the bashing with Mrs. Weasley, you guys have no idea how much fun it was to write it :D I actually wrote it four times, on one attempt I just went stir crazy and had Harry kill her in cold blood and laugh his ass off. Euhh ok…too much info. And yeah, in case some of you haven't realized it yet, I am insane. **

**Also hope I got the 'parents talk' down properly with Fleur's dad. For now at least.**

**Oh and I think I'll state it again just in case some of you get different ideas, this story is and always will be a Harry/Fleur pairing only. No harems…although I have some ideas for another story that has recently popped up in my mind that I wanna try a triple pairing. That's for later. **

**I am really, really sorry to everyone that had questions as I have failed to respond. My laptop's wifi just decided it wanted to drop dead last week and I only recently got it fixed. I will start responding now, but I will probably fall asleep in another 10 minutes after I post this up. **

**Please let me have your thoughts on this chapter. Like I said, I am rather anxious to hear what people have to say about this one. What you like, didn't like, ideas to improve, thoughts…anything! Flames even if anyone has 'em! (I do want it to have some reasoning behind it though). **

**Next up, the third task! I cannot wait to get started on that. Another few surprises waiting there :) **

**Oh and don't be mad…I'll try to recorrect the grammar as best I can later. I have gone through this at least twice but I know I have made mistakes that I have missed out. **

**Almost forgot. THIS IS IMPORTANT. I will be upping this from T to M after this week. It is not because I am going to start adding lemons…that comes later. Much later. (Don't think I'll include lemons on the version of the story here. I'll probably upload this story with them to a site where its allowed and provide links for peeps that want to read it. Still…that comes later.) Back to the matter at hand, I am upping this to M because of the other stuff. Darker themes, blood and gore, strong language….etc. It doesn't mean that I will be changing the way I write, I think I still could get away with this labeled as a T rating…but I am really paranoid. **

**Hmm…nothing else to say. K then, until next time! **


	12. Chapter 12

**I was stunned by the responses for last chapter…you guys are awesome! Pretty sure I've said this before but my day was made (three days in a row actually), Thank you! **

**Gotta say this though. If I was nervous about the last chapter, I am beyond that for this one. After reading through the responses I realized that so many of you have high expectations for this chapter…so yeah…just hope this doesn't disappoint. **

**Enjoy :) **

**CHAPTER 12**

Yesterday had been unnaturally short. The day was over within a few blinks of an eye. Fleur had been gone for the whole morning. Aurélie and the others informed him that she had been in her room with her parents. She had later come back looking simply ecstatic about something and had clung onto him from then for the remainder of the day, refusing to tell him what she was so happy about.

The sight of the two of them at dinner earned them a lot more envious and longing gazes which went unnoticed by the couple. They were simply put, in a world of their own, oblivious to everything else much to the Delacour's amusement when they were informed by Fleur's friends that this was a common occurrence. Neither Fleur nor Harry even batted an eye at anyone else, although both were mercilessly teased by all parties afterwards.

Mrs. Weasley glowered at the pair from her place down at the Gryffindor table with Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Things had not been well for her since her confrontation with Harry. She had never dreamed that Harry would ever talk back to her. She had tried to speak to him again only to find him smile mechanically at her before excusing himself and walking off rendering her speechless. That was only the beginning of her worries.

Lupin, an old acquaintance and the one she suspected was Harry's guardian was refusing to listen to her advice. That the best thing for Harry was to forbid him from associating with that silver haired scarlet woman. Why couldn't he see that she wasn't right for Harry? He should have someone that knew how to properly look after him, someone who was around his age, someone who was _not _a Veela.

She didn't like the things she heard from Ron and Ginny. From what she heard, it seems that Harry had drifted far away from them. Even from Hermione. She was slightly guilty about this, but she had been extremely happy when she first found out that Ron had befriended Harry Potter of all people. The position he holds in the wizarding world made him an invaluable friend to their family. Now it seems that has slipped out from under their grasp.

She'd thought Harry would have stopped fooling around with the French girl after reading the letter she sent him. This had been her way of opening the path for Ginny but it seemed that plan had gone down in flames too. She knew of her daughter's affections for him, from the way she had been pining for him all summer. It had all been going so perfectly and one night at the National Quidditch stadium had changed everything. She had heard about Harry meeting the French girl at the match from an annoyed Ginny but had dismissed it seeing there was no way that the two would meet again. How wrong she was.

She was extremely disappointed and furious with her eldest sons. Both Bill and Charlie had refused to talk to Harry about the French girl. Charlie was actually happy for him and Bill…Bill had a slightly dazed look when he gazed at her. They were both sitting farther up at the table with the twins, Delacours, Lupin, the annoying black dog, Harry and the girl. She was going to be having words with them once they got back to the Burrow. This summer was not going to be a pleasant one for her older sons.

* * *

Harry did not have a pleasant night. He had been a fool thinking that he could have gotten even a wink of sleep.

He was prepared. How could he not be? He had spent the last few months preparing for it. Gone over every possibility. The third task…all he had to do was navigate through it to the center and get past whatever obstacles were thrown at him. Considering the last two tasks this seemed almost tame. He didn't care if he won or lost, after today it would all be over.

Why then was the old uneasiness settling in? Why did he feel that today was going to raise a storm? A storm that had been biding its time, slowly building itself up. Why did he feel that today was the beginning of the end?

These were the thoughts playing over and over again in Harry's mind as he lay on his bed for hours, trying his hardest to get some sleep. It must have been hours since he had been as still as possible on his bed, staring up at the blank canvas. Glancing at his watch he saw that it was still 3 in the morning. Deciding to take a walk to calm his nerves he got up as quietly as possible so as to not wake the others up. Pulling on the robes he'd gotten from Aurélie for Christmas he headed out after securely strapping his wand holster to his arm and slinging his bag with the Invisibility cloak stuffed inside on his shoulder.

They had gotten instructions that they will be using their usual school robes for the final task. Seeing as he wasn't the champion for any of them, might as well wear something different and make Aurélie happy at the same time. She had been rather put out that he hadn't worn them even once since he got them. The Fat Lady didn't question what he was doing out of bed when he climbed out of the portrait hole, instead choosing to wish him luck. Outside he threw on the cloak and barely ten minutes later he was out of the castle, breathing in the fresh air. The crisp, yet gentle breeze clearing his mind and soothing him.

The remaining hours until it was time for breakfast slipped by in the blink of an eye much to his amusement. He had been lying in bed, tossing and turning with the thoughts that plagued his mind a few hours ago wishing for time to speed up and it had been creeping along at a snail's pace. Now that he was relaxed, time just sped up.

The Hogwarts students were already up and having breakfast when he entered the Great Hall at 7 in the morning, causing him to stare in surprise for a few moments before he realized that the rest of the school had been having exams since two days ago. He had barely even noticed it with his preparations for the third task.

The third task was going to take place in the evening, sharp at 5pm. By that time all students' exams would be over. Most of them gaped at him since he wasn't wearing the usual school robes but he ignored them and took his place at the Gryffindor table, taking care to distance himself as much as possible from Mrs. Weasley who was once again glowering at him.

Grinning inwardly he glanced around, noticing that almost all of the student's had their books open and were trying to get some last minute revision in while eating. Even the twins who usually greeted him loudly and in extravagant poses, ranging from bowing to kneeling only managed a quick greeting before turning distractedly back to their work causing Harry and Basile (who was the only one present from their usual crowd) to exchange smirks seeing as neither had exams. The Beauxbatons students had already finished their exams a week before the third task.

Fleur arrived with Aurélie who was delighted when she saw what Harry was wearing. Shortly afterwards the Hogwarts students filed out since it was time for their second to last exam leaving the Harry and the French students alone. Cedric and Krum also took off after greeting him and Fleur, no doubt to use the remaining time to get some practicing in. Fleur was more or less as prepared as Harry, so they opted to spend the remaining time with the others in the grounds.

After a quick lunch at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade with the Delacours, Sirius (in dog form again much to the amusement of Gabrielle and Rosmerta who couldn't get enough of its antics) and Lupin, who had become good friends with Dominique, they headed back to the castle to wait out the remaining few hours.

Harry's feeling of uneasiness kept increasing in intensity as the sky darkened with 5pm fast approaching. It didn't help that Sirius looked more worried than he had ever seen him when he led Harry away to the Room of Requirement an hour before the task to speak to him.

"I want you to use everything you have learned to get this over with as fast as you can." Sirius said sternly as soon as he changed back to human form when they were safely inside the Room of Requirement. "I don't care if you blast your way through the maze, the sooner you're out of that place the better."

"Got it." Harry muttered, trying and failing to grin. Sirius then pulled him into a tight hug before ruffling his hair. Try as he might, even Sirius couldn't keep the worry off his face. Since time was slowly running out he transformed back and they hurried back downstairs.

The Great Hall was buzzing with activity when they got down. The students were happily celebrating the end of their exams and were excited for the upcoming task. In no time at all Dumbledore stood up and asked the champions to start making their way to the Quidditch pitch and Harry shakily got up with Fleur, Cedric and Krum and exited to deafening cheers from the students. They were directed to a tent just outside the Quidditch pitch where Bagman was waiting for them.

"First, allow me to congratulate each and every one of you for making it this far. All of you showed talent the likes of which only a few can hope to display." He smiled at them, receiving grimaces in return.

"Now, as I have explained before, Mr. Potter will enter at the sound of the whistle at precisely 5pm. After two minutes it will be Miss Delacour, followed by Mr. Krum and Mr. Diggory. You have to navigate your way to the center of the maze where the cup stands, the first to grab it, wins. I trust there are no questions at this point?" The four of them shook their heads and he nodded in approval.

"Should you at any point find yourself unable to continue, you need only send up red sparks with your wands. There are already people stationed within the maze to ensure your safety, one of them will come get you. Remember that if you are removed from the maze, you are effectively forfeiting the task." He stayed silent for a moment, after ensuring that there were no more questions he broke into his boyish grin. "It's almost time, better assume your starting positions outside the maze. May the best man or woman win!"

Harry didn't even know exactly when his hand had found Fleur's, but he was immensely glad for the comfort her touch offered. When they walked out they found the Delacours, Lupin, Sirius, Aurélie, Caroline, Amy, Krum and Cedric's parents waiting for them. The stands were already fit to burst with the students and the applause which had been muffled, no doubt by magic when inside the tent, was extremely loud, reminding him of the Quidditch World cup.

They took their places beside the entrance to the maze, one narrow pathway obscured by a thick fog. Harry had never noticed it before, _really_ noticed it, but the Quidditch pitch was massive. Easily the length and width of a muggle football field, maybe even larger. From the air it had never seemed as it did now. Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Madame Maxime and Karkaroff were all waiting just outside the entrance.

Fleur was pulled into a hug by her parents and afterwards by the French witches, not wanting to intrude on them Harry moved to the side to find himself engulfed in a hug by Lupin who, just like Sirius, looked extremely worried except he also had a hint of pride in his eyes as he surveyed him. He was then highly embarrassed when each of the three girls hugged him in turn, kissing his cheeks causing those watching to chuckle when his face took on a red glow. He was also surprised, yet pleased when Apolline hugged him, followed by Gabrielle.

After wishing Krum and Cedric good luck, the latter who immediately grabbed him in a headlock making him struggle trying to break free while the others watched in amusement, he turned to Fleur who was watching expectantly.

"See you at the cup?" He asked lightly with a grin, drawing closer to her while she smirked.

"Not if I get zere first." She replied making him grin wider. "Promise me you won't do anyzing foolish." She said softly, her smirk vanishing. His grin vanished too as he stared at her eyes. She saw the worry etched in them, she had noticed all the smiles he had worn all day were fake. There was something troubling him.

"Only if you promise that you'll be safe." He murmured. Her eyes widened in surprise when she felt his lips gently caress hers before she closed them and wrapped her arms around him, deepening the kiss, completely oblivious to the fact that everyone were watching along with her parents. They pulled away a few moments later and after one final hug, Harry took his place in front of the entrance to the maze and drew his wand. Bagman was yelling something that was lost in the roar of the crowd.

Then, a sharp whistle pierced the air, carrying over the noise from the crowd and after glancing back at Fleur one more time, he walked swiftly into the fog which immediately cleared almost as soon as he stepped into it and the way ahead of him was clear, albeit with a darkened atmosphere. The noise from the crowds was nonexistent and it was eerily silent. Behind him the thick fog covered the entrance from view. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he cautiously moved forward.

Reaching his first fork, leading left and right, he decided to take the left one. Walking on he felt a slight chill down his spine and glanced back feeling his pulse quicken. The feeling of uneasiness was slowly coming back at full force and he slowed his pace so that the noise his footsteps were making were muffled. Just then he heard a faint, high pitched noise that startled him before he realized it was the whistle. Fleur had now entered the maze too. Resisting the temptation to go back to her he trudged onward.

The path ahead again split to the sides and acting on instinct, he took the one on the right. They were supposed to navigate to the center of the maze after all. A few steps later he found another path leading to the right while his current one led onward. Taking the right he walked on as another faint whistle sounded, announcing Krum was in too. After walking about a dozen steps onward he found that it was a dead end and immediately backtracked.

He was beginning to feel slightly apprehensive now. Shouldn't he have met some obstacle by now? There was a muffled bang and a dim flash of purple in the sky which announced one of the champions had used a spell meaning they had already encountered something. Hearing a faint whistle again which announced Cedric was finally in too he quickened his pace.

It seemed that luck was not with him today as his choices at forks led him to dead ends more often than he found a clear way forward. The four pointer spell wasn't helping much and he was now beginning to feel like he should just blast the hedges down and forge a clear path to the center.

Hitting another dead end he backtracked and took the path to the right at the next fork and this time came to a clearing and almost immediately an unnatural fog covered the entire area. Cautiously he edged forward and saw a bright light swinging to the sides in front of him. He had almost followed it when he froze, remembering something he was taught last year. Fighting the impulse to follow the light he whispered _"Forma petram" _and a rock materialized in front of him before falling to the ground with a dull thud.

"_Wingardium Leviosa" _He whispered again. The rock rose to the air a few inches and he guided it in front of him, just enough distance in front of him so that it was barely visible and stopped the spell allowing the rock to fall. The wet squelch confirmed his suspicions and he waited as the light drew closer. A small, thin hand appeared out of the fog, holding onto a lantern from which was emitting the light and without wasting another second he shouted _"Stupefy!" _pointing his wand at it. A wet squelch announced something dropping to the ground and he allowed himself a moment of triumph.

"_Glacius" _He murmured, directing his wand at the ground in front of him as and a column of frigid air burst out of the end of his wand which he kept up for a few seconds. Then, breaking the spell he gingerly stepped forward. The ground had hardened and he slowly made his way towards the lantern.

His suspicions had indeed been correct as he came upon an unconscious creature that resembled garden gnomes back at the Burrow. It was a Hinkypunk. They were creatures that lured unsuspecting travelers into swamps with the light from their lanterns. Feeling grateful for Lupin's lessons on them last year he proceeded onward as the dense fog steadily cleared. At the edge he found another fork and took the one leading forward and trudged on.

Suddenly, a faint wind started blowing which steadily grew stronger and the hedges started rustling. Glancing behind in panic he realized the hedges were closing in from both sides and small vines were coming out from under them. One entangled itself around his leg and he quickly wrenched his foot free before breaking into a run. He almost tripped when another vine shot out and wrapped around his legs again but he took care of them with a quick severing charm.

Coming onto fork he dashed to the one on the right. The wind stopped abruptly and he glanced behind. The path from where he had come from was blocked and he was now staring at a dead end. After taking a moment to steady his nerves he continued onward. A few seconds later he heard Bagman's voice, faint but he could hear the words clearly. "The Durmstrang champion has been ejected from the maze." Looks like Krum got trapped by the hedges? Now it was only him, Fleur and Cedric in the maze. Quickening his pace he walked swiftly onward, his wand at the ready.

He kept glancing over his shoulder repeatedly. He felt like he was being watched and unless he was imagining it, he kept hearing a faint growl. Reaching another fork in front of him he took the one leading to left this time. Rounding a corner he found himself found himself looking at a fine golden mist that was hanging a few feet in front of him. He could clearly see his path in front of him and he cautiously edged closer to it. Coming as close as he deemed safe he tilted his head sideways, surveying it. It looked like an enchantment of some kind.

Cycling through the various enchantments he read about he frowned, he had a few suspicions what this was but he'd never tried to dispel an enchantment before. Each enchantment had a unique spell to dispel it and right now he could think of two enchantments that carried this color. Deciding to test his theory he conjured a rounded pebble this time and like before, guided it into the mist. It rotated slightly and remained suspended in mid-air even though he stopped the levitating it.

Frowning slightly he conjured another pebble, but this time he shaped it in the form of a triangle. Guiding it towards them mist as before he watched in fascination as it immediately rotated, now suspended upside down. Grinning slightly he stepped forward and into the mist and immediately the world turned upside down and he felt the blood rush to his head. Then he took another step forward and the world righted itself again.

Shaking his head slightly he moved onward. He had recognized the enchantment and knew the spell to dispel it but seeing as he'd never tried it and that it was harmless, this way was better. It was probably meant to make the champions panic and lose valuable time.

Rounding a corner he sighed exasperatedly when he reached another fork. Using the four pointer spell he chose the one on the left and walked onward. The way ahead of him was clear and he sighed in relief seeing that it wasn't a dead end. Walking on he reached rounded another corner and he walked straight into a dark shape that stumbled out in front of him and he immediately jumped back, stunning spell ready in his lips as his wand tip started glowing red when he realized he was pointing his wand at a wide eyed Cedric who also had his wand pointed at him.

"It's only you." Cedric murmured, lowering his wand as Harry did the same. Harry peered down the path where Cedric had stumbled out of.

"Dead end?" He asked, jerking his head down the path.

"Yeah. So…shall we go on?" He asked with a nervous smile. Harry noticed that Cedric's hand was shaking slightly, he was…afraid? Come to think of it, maybe he was too. He still had the feeling that he was being watched from time to time.

"Yeah, lets go." The two started walking along the narrow path side by side. "Krum got taken out?" He asked. Cedric winced slightly and nodded.

"Yeah, he was with me at the time...did you have the maze closing in on you too at some point?" Cedric asked. Harry nodded. "That happened. We started running and he fell. The vines got him and I couldn't cut him free…I couldn't do anything. I had to leave him."

"It's alright." Harry said quietly. It was clear that Cedric was troubled by having to leave Krum behind. "He's outside and I don't think he'd blame you."

"I wish I was out too." Cedric muttered. "Something feels…off. I could have sworn I heard growling and I thought I saw…" He trailed off, mumbling incoherently. Harry was instantly alert.

"I heard that too. What did you see?" He asked sharply. Cedric grimaced.

"I thought I saw someone…something I don't know." His voice trembled slightly. "It was standing at the edge of the path I was taking...a few minutes before I ran into you. It didn't feel right and I thought it'd be better to avoid it."

"Did you see Fleur anywhere?" he asked, his voice shook slightly. What Cedric just told him drove his worry into new levels.

"No…no I didn't. I'm sure she's fine Harry." Cedric said softly. "I think I heard her at some point…her voice before I ran into that thing I saw. I think she was on the path beside mine." He nodded slowly and they walked on. Soon they reached another fork and they stopped, looking at each other.

"Let's finish this as soon as possible." Cedric said. Harry nodded, if they split up at least one of them had the chance to get the cup. The sooner someone took the cup, the sooner they were out of here.

"Good luck." Harry murmured, choosing the path on the right while Cedric nodded. After walking a few steps Harry started walking swiftly, he knew they were closing in on their goal. He could almost feel it. He wanted to make sure Fleur was alright. He kept listening intently, hoping to catch Bagman's announcements in case Fleur was taken outside too. He found himself wishing that she _was_ taken out of the maze. Just like Cedric said, something didn't feel right about this place. If she was outside he'd be sure that she was safe from harm.

He didn't know if it was just his imagination wild, but he felt the growling was getting louder. It was now accompanied by a faint footsteps and he kept glancing back over his shoulder more frequently now. At times he felt as if whatever was growling was right next to him, separated from him by the hedge. He reached another fork and took the one leading to the left and walked a few steps before a terrible scream pierced the air that threw his mind into blind panic. He knew that voice.

"Fleur!" He yelled and he broke into a run, throwing caution to the winds. The scream came from the left and he ran forward, rounding a corner and growled when he found it was a dead end. Panic still clouding his thoughts he bellowed _"Reducto!", _pouring a large amount of energy into the spell, pointing his wand at the hedge. A brilliant bolt of light erupted from the end of his wand and slammed into the hedge disintegrating a section of it. It was incredibly thick. Pointing his wand at it again he yelled _"Confringo!" _and the hole grew wider, showing the other side. He scrambled through it, paying no heed to the twigs that ripped at his skin.

He emerged in a clearing and a burst of flame slammed into the ground in front of him. Looking at the side he noticed it was one of Hagrid's blast-ended skrewts. It was enormous and its shell was gleaming, it's end smoking with sparks flying out it. Fleur wasn't here, her scream came from further away. _I don't have time for this. _

He dashed to the other side to find that there were no paths leading away from the clearing, the only way away was backwards, away from the skrewt and away from where Fleur's scream came. Glancing at the skrewt he noticed it was blocking the path leading onward. It was advancing on him now and he raised his wand, yelling _"Stupefy!" _only to find the spell rebound off the shell. The dam shell, how could he forget? He'd prepared for himself to the side as the skrewt rushed at him he aimed at it again and roared _"Exercitatio!"_

A thin, violet beam erupted from his wand. When it reached the skrewt he heard a sickening crunch as the shell was starting to crack. Mere seconds later the skrewt made a funny clicking noise as the shell cracked, the beam penetrating its skin and it slumped forward. Edging around it he fired an Impediment hex at it for good measure as it was slowly getting back up. As he reached the open pathway he turned around and dashed through it, not looking back. A familiar wind started blowing and he looked behind him as the hedges started closing in around him as before and he ran flat out as the vines started coming out again.

Rounding another corner he dashed to the path on the left, hoping that this was where Fleur last was just as the wind stopped abruptly again and the way behind him was sealed off, silence settling in again.

"Fleur?" He called, walking on with his wand at the ready. His heart was hammering in his chest. Did something happen to her? What if she…_Stop thinking like that! _

The way ahead of him was clear, there was another path that joined the one he was on coming from the right but he trudged onward. A few feet in front of him he could just make out something lying on the ground. Drawing closer his mind was slowly starting to shut down. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. _No…no no no. _

He could recognize the silvery white hair splayed out on the ground. Her eyes glassy and lifeless, staring at the sky above her. "No…" He whispered. "Fleur…" She wasn't moving. His wand slipped from his hand, falling to the floor beside him as his eyes widened, refusing to believe what he was seeing. His legs gave way from under him and he fell to his knees as he stared at the lifeless body of the woman he loved. Staring blankly at her he felt as if he was slipping away into a void. Pain the likes of which he'd never imagined took over him and he couldn't stop the anguished yell the escaped his lips.

* * *

_(A few minutes ago)_

Fleur screamed as she struggled hard against the monstrous spider that lifted her off the floor. None of her spells worked against it, everything she tried just bounced off it. How could she have been so careless to allow herself to be caught?

"_Stupefy!" _She shouted, aiming straight at the spider's head. The spell did nothing more than annoy it as it clicked angrily. "No! _Impedimenta! Incendio!" _Neither of the spells did anything. The spider lifted her higher, in a last ditch attempt she aimed her wand again, _"Expelliarmus!" _A blinding red light erupted from her wand and slammed into it. Without warning it dropped her and she fell hard on the floor, whimpering as she felt a sharp pain shoot up her right leg. Not wasting any more time she aimed at its underside at yelled _"Impedimenta!" _Miraculously, the spell had an effect as it immediately froze.

Scrambling out from under it she willed herself to get up, doing her best to ignore the pain in her leg and limped towards the open pathway behind it. She could already hear the spider moving behind her. Ignoring the pain she moved on, clutching the hedge for support and rounded a corner. She looked at her leg and grimaced. She didn't know how much longer she could keep walking.

The maze had been full of surprises, she faced red caps, fire crabs and now, if it was what she suspected it was, an acromantula. What were these people playing at? The enchantments in addition to the creatures weren't too challenging to break but to put a danger level 5 magical beast in the maze was a little too over the top. She didn't even have time to send up red sparks.

There was also something lurking in the maze that gave her a very bad feeling. She kept wondering how the others were doing, Harry in particular. She knew he could handle anything the maze threw at him but she couldn't help but worry.

She had been slowly walking along the path and rounded another corner when a faint wind started blowing. Looking back she saw that the hedges were closing in and she quickened her pace, trying to go as fast as she could with her injured leg. She could feel vines grabbing at her legs and she kept firing severing charms at them. She gave a muffled cry of pain when a vine wrapped around her injured leg and she instinctively jerked it away, causing another sharp pain to flare up again. She barely managed to get away as she rounded another corner and the wind stopped, the way behind her sealing itself.

The path ahead of her was empty and she slowly moved onward. A few steps later she stumbled again as her injured leg gave way from under her. She couldn't continue like this. After trying and failing a few times to move, tears stinging her eyes at the pain she finally conceded and raised her wand to send red sparks up when a yell tore through the silence. Her eyes widened, it was filled with pain and despair and she recognized the voice.

"'Arry!" She called loudly. There was no response and her fear grew. His voice sounded close by and she pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the pain as panic began to take over. She had to get to Harry. Something happened to him.

She made her way as quickly as she could down the path, clutching the hedges for support. His voice came from the right. Rounding a corner she found a fork and quickly made her way towards it and took the path leading to the right. She could hear sobs and a voice moaning something incomprehensible as she limped further down the path.

Finally she came in sight of him, he was kneeling on the ground a few feet in front of her, his shoulders shaking slightly."'Arry?" She said softly, trudging closer to him. He didn't respond and she could just make out something lying on the ground in front of him. Her blood went cold when she realized it was a body.

Her eyes widened in shock when she got closer. There, lying on the ground in front of him was her unmistakably dead body. He was saying her name over and over again, his voice wracked with pain.

"'Arry! Zat's not me!" She shouted. He didn't even look around. Gazing once again at her body in front of her she realized what it was and quickly pointed her wand at it just as it started to change. She didn't want to see what it was going to change to and yelled _"Riddikulus!" _It vanished in a puff of smoke and he looked up, staring at the spot, tears running down his cheeks.

"'Arry. Eet's alright." She murmured softly. She bent down, stumbling and falling to the ground as her leg gave way again. She pulled herself up to find him staring at her, his eyes had a haunted look in them. He wasn't believing what he was seeing. "I'm 'ere." She said soothingly to him and edged closer, taking his limp hand. He flinched at the contact but didn't look away. "I'm still 'ere." She whispered. "Eet was only a stupid boggart 'Arry."

"Fleur?" He croaked. She could see his eyes widening in realization along with new tears forming in them. "Fleur…is that really you?" He whispered, reaching out with his hand and gently touching her cheek. She smiled at him and leaned into his hand, fighting back her own tears as she saw how much it was affecting him. "I thought…I thought I lost…" She pulled him into a tight hug.

"Shh…" She crooned. "I 'aven't gone anywhere." He slowly relaxed into her embrace as she hummed softly.

"Boggart…" He mumbled. She tightened her arms around him.

"Eet was only a boggart 'Arry…eet's gone now."

"You're hurt." He murmured, his face still buried in her chest. Her leg was bleeding now and almost as soon as he said it the pain seemed to return. A sound behind them made both of them look around in alarm, her wand was already on her hand again, while the other was wrapped firmly around Harry. She relaxed slowly when she realized it was Cedric, panting slightly and gazing at the two of them.

"Heard a scream…thought you were in trouble." He gasped. "What happened to him?" He asked, staring at Harry who still hadn't looked up. He looked at her questioningly and she slowly shook her head and he nodded, deciding to let it go. She held him for a few minutes longer while Cedric waited, torn between a mixture of embarrassment and curiosity until he finally cleared his throat. "Umm…we should probably get going. I think it's better if we stick together."

"Non…I can't go on." She murmured.

"Why?" Cedric asked, then he spotted her leg and shook his head sympathetically. "Ouch. Shall I call for help?"

"Oui…s'il vous plait" She said softly, not looking away from Harry's gaze as he slowly pulled himself out of her arms. There were tear streaks on his cheeks but he seemed to have finally calmed himself down. Cedric nodded and directed his wand upwards as a red light flew into the air before it burst into a multitude of sparks with a terrific bang.

"'Arry, go with 'im. You two can still continue." She said quietly. "I'll be waiting outside."

"But…" He began. She shook her head.

"Non. I can't go. I don't zink I can walk. You two can still go, if you try to bring me I will only be a 'indrance to you." He slowly nodded before looking around, finding his wand he sheathed it in its holster before turning back to her.

"I'm staying until they come for you." He said firmly. "Cedric, you can go on…"

"No. I'll wait. I could use some company." Cedric said with a small smile although he still kept glancing around nervously. They waited in silence until footsteps were heard and Professor Sprout suddenly came from their side, through a hedge that just seemed to fade out of existence allowing her through and startling them.

"What happened? Oh…it will be alright dear." She said softly, catching sight of Fleur's leg. "She'll be alright. If neither of you have any injuries you two better go on." She added to Harry and Cedric. Harry nodded and slowly started pull himself to his feet before Fleur pulled him closer and kissed him tenderly ignoring Cedric and Professor Sprout who looked away pointedly.

"Finish zis soon." Harry nodded and managed a small smile before standing up. After exchanging one final look between them he nodded at Cedric and two started down the path. She watched them go before he finally disappeared from view, hidden in a veil of mist.

* * *

Harry and Cedric continued onward. Cedric still kept shooting curious glances at him and he knew he was probably wondering what had happened back there but he was nevertheless grateful that he didn't pry. They had been walking on in silence, reaching a fork Cedric stopped and turned to Harry, wondering what he would do.

"Let's keep going together." Cedric smiled at this and opened his mouth before Harry interrupted him. "You're going to take the cup."

"What?! If anyone should take the cup its you." He argued. Harry shook his head firmly.

"I don't want it. Besides, it'll be a Hogwarts victory. There's nothing in it for me…I was forced into this in the first place."

"No Harry, I won't take it. You did the first two tasks far better than I did. You deserve it."

"I. Don't. Want. It." He growled exasperatedly, punctuating every word forcefully. When Cedric looked like he was going to argue he silenced him with a glare. "There is nothing in this for me. I'm not even in this for a school. If I do take it then it will be for me and me alone. I don't want it. I just want to get out of here…please…I just want to get out of here and get back to her." His voice shook slightly at the end and Cedric stared at him intently.

Finally after about a minute he nodded. "Fine. But if you think I'm going to keep what you did quiet you're dead wrong." His face was set, leaving no room to argue and Harry sighed before nodding. _Hufflepuffs…_

Just then Bagman's voice echoed. "The Beauxbatons champion has withdrawn from the task." Harry sighed in relief, visibly relaxing.

"So which way then?" He asked, looking at the fork. Cedric looked at the two pathways with a frown.

"How about the right one?" He asked, and Harry nodded. They set off again. Soon they caught sight of something in front of them, edging closer cautiously, both wands at the ready.

It was a Sphinx. Both of them glanced nervously at each other before edging closer to it. The only way forward was through it and it hadn't made any move to attack. It's body was that of a lion, only difference was that for in place of its head was one of a woman's. She was smiling serenely at them and as soon as they were near enough she spoke, her voice coming out in a deep, rumbling purr.

"You are close to your goal. The quickest way to it is past me" She got up, causing both Harry and Cedric to back away. She chuckled softly but stayed still.

"Would you move…please?" Harry asked uncertainly. She smiled at him.

"No. I will only let you through if you answer my riddle correctly. You both have one chance to answer correctly. Should you answer wrongly, I attack and allow the other person through. Answer on your first guess, and I will allow you two in, or if you choose, only the person who answers in." Harry glanced at Cedric, this wasn't a bad deal. He didn't want to win and it was still a win-win situation. Although he will have to be ready with sparks should he need to answer wrongly to allow Cedric through. He had no idea how to go against a sphinx and he had no desire to try.

"Could we have the riddle then?" He asked, ignoring Cedric's startled look. She smiled again and crouched down. Then recited;

_First think of the person who lives in disguise,_

_Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies._

_Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,_

_The middle of middle and end of the end?_

_And finally give me the sound often heard_

_During the search for a hard-to-find word._

_Now string them together, and answer me this,_

_Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss? _(Taken from the original book 4)

Harry's mind worked furiously and he could see Cedric's brow furrowed, deep in thought.

"Could we have it again? More slowly?" Cedric asked. She smiled at him and repeated, slower this time.

"All the clues add up to a creature we wouldn't want to kiss." Harry murmured softly. Cedric grinned at him.

"Speak for yourself Potter, we have different tastes." Harry grinned back before he sobered again.

"A person who lives in disguise…an imposter? No…no…a-a spy maybe?" Cedric asked him uncertainly. He shrugged and returned to his thoughts. He turned back to the sphinx. "Could I hear the entire thing again please?" She nodded and repeated from the beginning. Cedric grimaced.

"The middle of middle and end of the end…I have no clue what that means." Harry nodded, still thinking furiously.

"Person in disguise…spy…how many creatures are out there that I wouldn't want to kiss? Er…can I have the last four lines again?" Harry asked. She obliged. "Sound often heard when searching for a hard to find word…er…wait a second! That's the sound!" Cedric looked at him blankly before his eyes widened in realization.

"A creature I wouldn't be willing to kiss…a spy…er…spy…a spider!" The sphinx smiled broadly at him before getting up and moving aside. "Thanks. And can you let us both through?" He asked. She nodded and he went through, followed by Cedric who looked dazed.

"Blimey Harry, why aren't you in Ravenclaw?" He asked, gazing at Harry as if he'd grown two heads.

"No idea…" He muttered, shrugging. They walked on, Harry could feel that they were getting extremely close now. He did the four pointer spell and his wand spun around in his palm, pointing to the right again. They kept walking when suddenly Harry's scar twinged in pain.

Call it instinct, maybe Harry had gained it from his countless duels with Sirius, but a strange prickle on his back warned him something was coming. "Cedric! MOVE!" He bellowed, pushing him roughly against the hedge as a jet of green light narrowly missed them.

"Wh..what? Was that a?" Cedric murmured shakily, glancing around in fear as Harry looked around frantically, trying to find who cast the spell. Suddenly a sound broke the silence and faint clapping could be heard.

"Well done Potter. I am impressed. As Alastor Moody would say, you have mastered constant vigilance!" A high pitched cackle broke the silence. The voice was familiar. There was no one to be seen and they started backing away.

"Who are you?" Harry yelled.

"It matters not Potter. I am coming for you. You kept slipping through my fingers long enough. Tonight, you will die. A pity for the other boy though…" The voice trailed off and another bolt of green light hurtled at them seemingly from nowhere and Harry instinctively dodged again just as Cedric threw himself out of the way too.

"Harry! Let's get out of here, this place is too narrow." Cedric yelled. Both of them broke into a run, ducking as another jet of green light sailed above their heads. Whoever it was, they were playing with them.

"You can't get away Potter. Not this time. Everyone tried to trick me, they said you were needed to bring my lord back but I know better! Only by killing you my master can return to power!" Another cackle followed as they ran down the path and rounded a corner. They momentarily faltered, there, gleaming brightly straight ahead of them was the Triwizard cup, standing on a pedestal. Another bolt of green light slammed into the hedge just behind them and they started running towards it.

A wind suddenly started blowing again as the hedges started closing in on them, vines danced out from them, entangling themselves around Harry and Cedric pulled him out of their grasp as they ran as fast as they could. Just before they came to a large clearing, Cedric tripped and fell. He slowly started getting pulled, getting dragged under the hedges which were slowly sealing the path they came from and Harry turned around to help him.

"Finally you're here Potter." The voice was closer and momentarily distracted Harry looked around. It was Moody and he had a mad grin on his face. He was standing right beside the cup, a few feet away from them and started limping slowly towards them, his wand pointing straight at Harry.

"Harry! Cut me loose!" Cedric yelled. "Harry!" He yelled again. Harry looked momentarily back at Cedric again, making a split second decision as he moved away from him.

"Get help." He murmured, turning back to Moody and aiming his wand at him while Moody started chuckling maniacally.

"Dammit Harry you…" Cedric's voice drowned out as he was lost under the hedges.

"Your nobility will be the end of you." Moody said, staring intently at him before his lips moved and another jet of green light hurtled at him. Harry dodged and thought _"Reducto", _aiming straight at Moody's chest. His eyes widened and sidestepped away from the curse, cocking his head at him and gazing at him with a curious expression. "Full of surprises aren't you?"

Harry didn't answer as he began his assault. He quickly sent two stunners at Moody who threw up a shield before responding with another killing curse which hit a large boulder Harry conjured, blasting it to pieces. Harry fired another stunner and Moody sidestepped it and paused as the spell came to a stop right beside him before bursting into smaller sparks. Moody only got away by casting a quick shield, protecting his side.

Harry sent a stream of purple flames at Moody who conjured another shield and moved again before sending a binding curse at Harry who complied by aiming straight at it and firing a stunner. The two spells collided with a noise like a gunshot and a blinding flash of yellow.

"You…how much have you been hiding Potter." Moody called and Harry instinctively thought _"Protego!"_ and a blue-white shield expanded in front of him. Moody's curses slammed into and sizzled before disappearing.

Just then, too many things happened in the blink of an eye. Moody suddenly jumped backwards and screamed something, aiming his wand at Harry's side. A jet of orange light flew past him and he heard a grunt and something falling to the floor with a thud. Two jets of green light flew past Harry from behind and one of them hit Moody who looked surprised for a moment before crumpling to the floor.

Harry barely had time to react when something huge jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. He caught a brief glimpse of fangs and felt something claw at his chest. Pain clouded his senses and he smelled something foul, the stench of blood before he felt something hit his head hard, and forced his wand out of his hand . The last thing he remembered was a man with dirty hair, his yellow teeth visible and pain spreading through him as his eyes closed slowly.

* * *

Cedric couldn't believe it. That fool, he could have helped him. He struggled hard as he lost sight of Harry and the man standing beside the cup. He could breathe but he could see only darkness. He felt a strange sensation, as if he was being moved and yet he couldn't move his arms or legs at all.

He didn't know how long he laid there in the darkness, feeling the strange sensation. Thoughts ran wildly in his head as he remembered the last couple of minutes. Who was it that kept firing the killing curses at them? Harry had asked him to get help. How was he supposed to get help when he was trapped here?

Almost as soon as he thought that, he was staring up at the darkened night sky and he could hear loud cheers and groans. Scrambling to his feet he looked around. He was back outside at the starting point of the maze. Momentarily surprised he saw his parents running towards him before his mother engulfed him in a hug. Bagman was yelling something which was again lost in the applause from the crowd. Seeing saw Fleur, Krum, Professor Lupin and Dumbledore approaching quickly and he pulled himself away from his mother's embrace and ran up to Dumbledore.

"Sir, Harry needs help." Cedric shouted. "There was someone…" His voice kept getting drowned out from the crowd and Dumbledore held up his hand before drawing his wand and placing the tip on his throat.

"Quiet!" Dumbledore's magically magnified voice carried over the roar of the crowd and silence gradually settled in.

"Sir, Harry needs help." He repeated. "There was someone in the maze. We were attacked. We reached the cup but there was someone standing beside it. I got trapped by that…those hedges."

"He was at the cup?" Dumbledore asked and he nodded. "Fawkes!" A phoenix appeared in a flash of fire in front of them and without a word Dumbledore grasped its tail and disappeared in another flash of fire along with the phoenix. They waited, seconds slowly slipping by. He gazed at Fleur who was looking at the maze, her face etched in worry. He felt guilty as he watched her and felt anger flaring up in him. Why didn't Harry just help him up?!

By now the rest of the teachers had come down. He noted that Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall were notably absent. They were all staring at the maze, waiting for what he didn't know. The students in the stands were muttering among themselves. Finally, after a few minutes Dumbledore reappeared holding someone unconscious roughly by the collar in another flash of fire eliciting gasps from all around. It was a man, wearing dark, hooded robes and a mask, similar to the one the people who attacked at the World cup wore.

"Severus, take this one into the castle. Administer Veritaserum to him and keep him ready for questioning. I will be with you shortly." Professor Snape nodded and conjured a stretcher, levitating the man onto it and immediately set off into the castle.

"Where's Harry?" Professor Lupin asked anxiously.

"He's not there Remus. The cup's gone too." The man paled and a large black dog that appeared at his side growled menacingly while Fleur sobbed quietly. "Minerva, Pomona and Rubeus are unconscious. Kingsley, Amos…please get them to safety. When you're done get back to the center of the maze. There will be a body there. Recover it and bring it into the castle." A bald man strode up from the crowd, dressed in Auror's robes and his father nodded grimly and the two of them set off into the maze.

Dumbledore then glanced around at them, his eyes coming to rest on Fleur momentarily who was being hugged by her mother. "Please stay here." He said to them and set off towards the castle, followed by Lupin and the dog.

* * *

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He faintly became aware that he was tied to something hard and that someone was slapping his cheeks roughly. His vision swam before coming into focus just as someone jammed his glasses to his face none too gently. He felt weak, dizzy and he looked down noticing the blood that was on his chest and felt a sharp pain spread through his body as he hissed in pain. He felt as though his whole body was on fire. Then he slowly recognized the man who was standing in front of him.

"You." He growled. Peter Pettigrew didn't answer, although he flinched as a high cold voice broke the eerie silence.

"Hurry!" His scar flared up again and momentarily he was blinded by the pain. Gasping slightly he looked around, taking in the surroundings.

There, in front of him was a large cauldron, bubbling slightly with a clear, colorless liquid. They were in what was unmistakably a graveyard. There was one tall figure standing at the side and Harry thought he could see fangs as the man grinned a feral grin. He noticed that his hands were clawed and he remembered something tearing at him, mauling him just moments before he passed out and felt a chill run down his spine.

"Master, its ready…" Pettigrew whispered, fright evident in his voice and Harry turned to see Pettigrew cowering in front of a bundle of robes on the ground. Instantly he felt apprehensive, he didn't want to see what was inside it.

"Now Wormtail…" The same cold voice whispered. Wormtail choked and with shaking hands he lifted the bundle. Harry's scar immediately flared in pain again and it was all he could do to stop himself from screaming when he saw what was inside the bundle.

It was thin, barely any meat on it and it was like a poor imitation of a baby. Glowing red eyes and a snake-like face, its skin pale and slimy. Wormtail staggered to the cauldron as the fanged man knelt reverently and he dropped the thing into the cauldron unceremoniously. The potion frothed and hissed and a dull thud echoed as the thing hit the bottom.

Wormtail started speaking, his voice shaking in fear. _"B-bone of father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"_ The surface beneath Harry's feet cracked and dust rose from the ground as Wormtail guided it into the cauldron. As soon as the dust entered it, the potion hissed and turned a vivid blue.

Wormtail was sobbing now, he drew a dagger from his robes and placed it on his right hand. _"F-flesh of the s-servant, willingly given, y-you will revive your master." _Harry immediately shut his eyes as he saw the dagger move and Wormtail's scream pierced the air. He heard a sickening splash as something dropped into the cauldron and even through his closed eyelids, a red glow shined through them.

He heard a footsteps while and moans of pain and he opened his eyes slowly to find Wormtail shuffling towards him, his right arm now a bleeding stump while his left still held the bloodied dagger.

"_Blood of the e-enemy…forcibly taken, y-you will resurrect your foe!"_ Harry, realizing what was coming stuggled hard but to no avail. Wormtail grabbed his right arm and slowly, agonizingly, pressed the sharp point on it and dragged it downward, creating a large cut. He then produced a glass vial in which he collected the blood and started back to the cauldron, whimpering.

"Purify it, we wouldn't want our master to get…contaminated" The tall man said lazily, his voice coming out in a growl. Wormtail tapped the vial and his blood glowed red before he tipped the contents into the cauldron. The effect was immediate, the potion turned a blinding white and Wormtail staggered backwards before crumpling to the floor, clutching his stump of an arm and weeping openly.

It started hissing and shaking violently, emitting sparks and a gleaming white mist rose into the air above it, covering the cauldron from view. The fanged man was kneeling again and Harry stared at the cauldron, hoping against hope that something, anything could have gone wrong. The only sound apart from the cauldron was that of Wormtail's moans of pain.

A tall figure was rising out of the cauldron, still hidden by the mist. His scar flared in pain again and he could only watch in horror as the thing that rose from the cauldron spoke.

"Robe me." Wormtail got to his feet, his left hand clutching the black robes and he staggered towards the cauldron and slowly pulled them one handed over the figure before moving back again and falling to his knees. The figure slowly stepped out of the cauldron. It's eyes glowing red, its snake-like face the same as he had a few years ago, it's thin lips curved in a hideous smile as it gazed at him. Lord Voldemort has risen again.

Voldemort slowly strode around the cauldron, staring at his body. Flexing his unnaturally long fingers he reached inside his robes and drew out a long, thin wand and caressed it almost lovingly. Ignoring the man kneeling on the other side of the cauldron and Harry he strode towards Wormtail who was still kneeling, clutching his bleeding arm and whimpering.

"My lord…please my lord…you promised…" He was begging, desperate, pain evident in his voice. Voldemort smiled cruelly at him.

"Hold out your arm then Wormtail."

"Thank you…thank you my lord" He extended his bleeding stump and Voldemort laughed.

"Your other arm Wormtail."

"Master…please…" Wormtail whispered. Voldemort bent and grabbed his left arm, pulling up the sleeve of his robe where a tattoo of a skull and a snake protruding from its mouth was clearly visible. The dark mark. Voldemort pressed his finger on it and Harry's scar flared in pain, more painful than ever and Harry gasped in pain.

"Now we shall see…how many will be brave…how many will be foolish. Who will return…" Voldemort said softly, drawing back and moving to the other side.

"My lord." The kneeling man growled.

"You have done well. I trust the other one is no more?" the man grinned, baring his fangs.

"He is no more my lord."

"And what of our…new recruit?" Voldemort asked. The man paled and whimpered like a dog.

"There was a small mistake my lord. H-he was hit by a curse. I had to leave him." Voldemort cocked his head sideways.

"Is he dead?" The man started shaking.

"N-no my lord…" Voldemort pointed his wand lazily at him. _"Crucio!" _He hissed. The man howled in pain and started writhing on the ground as Voldemort stared at him in disgust. Then, finally the man's screams subsided as Voldemort moved his wand.

"I do not tolerate mistakes. While you have done well in bringing what I asked you have failed me at the same time. No matter…He was not valuable, he is of no use to them or to me." The last part he muttered to himself. "See that you will not make any more mistakes Greyback."

"O-of course my lord. I won't fail you." Voldemort sneered, then he looked straight at Harry.

"Harry Potter…how nice of you to join me in my…rebirth." He laughed mirthlessly. "You have been a thorn in my side for far too long…no matter. After today you will not be." He stared at the hill before gazing at Harry with a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"Do you see that hillside? That is where the house of my late father stands. A muggle and a fool. Look below you Potter, you are standing on his remains." Harry stared defiantly back, not breaking his gaze. He wasn't going to give Voldemort the satisfaction of obeying even the slightest of his commands.

Then, the air was full of swirling cloaks as figure after figure materialized out of thin air. All of them wearing hooded dark robes. They each walked towards Voldemort who was standing in the middle, gazing at them as they approached, falling to their knees in front of him.

"Master…" They murmured as each of them shuffled forward and kissed the hem of his robes before walking back. Once they were all done they formed a circle around Voldemort and Harry. Greyback stood up and joined his place on the circle as did Wormtail. Harry noticed that there were some points on the circle with gaps and no one made an effort to fill them.

"Welcome back my friends." Voldemort murmured and the entire circle shuddered as one. His voice was dripping with malice. "Thirteen years it has been…thirteen long years it has been since we last stood together. And now all of you return. So we are still stand united then?" He started walking around the circle, gazing at each one of them in turn.

"If we are still united, then might I ask…why now? Why did none of you seek me out earlier?" Voldemort smiled coldly as the figures shuddered again. "I know who have remained faithful. They will all be rewarded handsomely. But what of the rest of you hmm? What am I to do with you?" Deafening silence followed his words until one of the figures broke away from the circle and fell to its knees in front of him.

"Forgive me master! Forgive us all!" He shrieked. Voldemort laughed and pointed his wand at him. The figure started screaming as everyone flinched. Harry could feel his scar burning. His body felt like it was on fire and his vision kept losing focus. _Let someone come…please…let someone hear. _

"Get up Avery." He said lazily and the figure got up hurriedly, stumbling as he went back and rejoined the circle. "Forgiveness? You want forgiveness? I want repayment. Thirteen long years of repayment. Do you understand?"

"Yes my lord." The figures murmured in unison. He inclined his head slightly before making his way to Wormtail who looked up hopefully, tears still evident on his face as he stretched out his arm hopefully.

"My lord…" Voldemort gazed intently at him.

"You did not seek me out of loyalty. You came to me out of cowardice, hiding from those who you betrayed. Yet your service has been invaluable to me and Lord Voldemort rewards those who carry out his orders." Then he twirled his wand and molten silver appeared out of thin air and formed slowly into the shape of a hand. It flew down and attached itself to Wormtail's bleeding stump and he stopped sobbing immediately, gazing at it with an expression of wonder, reverently he cradled it with his left hand and flexed the fingers before gazing up at Voldemort with new tears forming in his eyes.

"My lord…it is beautiful my lord…thank you." He murmured, kissing the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"May your loyalty never waver again Wormtail."

"No my lord, never." Then he got up and hurried back to the circle, taking his place among them. Voldemort walked towards the empty gaps and stared at them, as if seeing those who should be there.

"One of them has fled. He chose to run instead of responding to my summons. He will die, that is the price of defying lord Voldemort. Another of them has left me forever, no matter…he will come to the same end." Then he looked at the empty gap beside Greyback.

"The Lestranges should stand here…they alone remained faithful. They went to Azkaban, preferring imprisonment than to renounce me. When the Dementors join me they will be freed. They will be honored and rewarded as they should be." He turned back to the watchful crowd. "We have much to do my friends, we need to regain our previous allies. We need to start ridding the world of the filth that continues to taint our blood. But for all of that, there is still one more thing that remains to be taken care of." He fixed his eyes on Harry who struggled to keep his eyes open. The fire in his body kept burning, it hadn't diminished at all.

"Harry Potter…the one who vanquished the dark lord. Or so they say…" He then turned back to the group. "You have no doubt heard the stories? Of how he defeated me? Let me assure you. It was only a slight miscalculation that allowed him to live. His filthy mudblood mother died to save him, invoking an ancient magic that caused my own curse to rebound at me. That is what makes him special, he had people who were willing to die for him."

"He thwarted my rise to power. All through sheer luck and a vast amount of aid. I admit…it was partly my fault for being careless. But no matter…he is here now and he will not leave here again." Voldemort sneered at him.

"You may wonder how he came to our little…reunion? You may have all heard of the stories of the disappearance of Bertha Jokins? We have to thank her, one of my most faithful Death Eaters, and Wormtail for making all of this possible. It was her information that made everything possible."

"I confess, for a moment I thought I failed again. I underestimated Wormtail here. He couldn't keep a madman in check and Harry Potter almost slipped through my grasp again. But his stubbornness to live brought him to me. And for that I honor you Mr. Potter." Voldemort smiled cruelly and walked closer to Harry.

"Your mother's protection was the beginning of my downfall Harry. I could not touch you, I could not do anything to you. You were protected, protected by a dead woman. However…" His raised his hand and brought it closer to Harry. His scar steadily increased in pain. "I do not think that you are under her protection anymore." With that, he pressed his finger on the scar.

Harry felt as though his head was being cleaved in two. The pain was unbearable and he couldn't help it, his scream pierced the air and Voldemort laughed before finally moving his finger as the Death Eaters laughed.

"There is nothing protecting you anymore." Voldemort grabbed his face and held it up, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I see her in you…your filthy mudblood mother. Many may think that you look like your father, I disagree. You are your mother through and through. Such a pity…you do have a pretty face. I can see why he wanted her alive."

"Shut up." Harry growled, fighting the pain and gazing at the snake-like face and radiating pure hatred. The Death Eaters had gone quiet and Voldemort's brow furrowed slightly before he moved back.

"Do you want to see something Harry? Do you want to see your mother's last moments? I still have the memories, I still cherish them. Do you want to see it?" Without warning he pointed his wand at Harry and immediately Harry felt new memories flooding into his mind. He was too weak, he couldn't draw up his mental barriers and suddenly he was seeing it.

* * *

He walked into a brightly lit living room. He pointed his wand at the man who was yelling something about trying to hold him off, barring the way. He felt the savage pleasure as he uttered the fatal words and he crumpled to the floor. It was amusing really, how this man thought he could stop him without a wand.

He walked up the stairs, the woman's screams ringing in his ears along with the sound of a baby crying. It was soothing to him, music to his ears. Today he would fulfill the prophecy, there will be no one who can oppose him after today. The door from which the screams were coming was locked. It was laughable how they think that a mere door can mean the difference between life and death. _"Alohomora." _Such a simple spell. They put too much faith in people, something that they should be punished for.

The door unlocked and he pushed it open. There, standing in front of a crib was a beautiful red haired woman, tears running down her cheeks. Yes…he could see that she was pleasing to the eye in spite of having the filthy blood coursing through her veins. He had to try, he did promise his servant.

"Move aside girl." The woman shook her head frantically.

"Not Harry…please not him. Take me, take me instead." She sobbed.

"Don't be silly girl, stand aside now." He loved hearing those cries, the way her voice was pleading.

"Not him…please…not him." He laughed, here she was, trying to defend her child without a wand. No matter…he had tried.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _He hissed and the woman immediately crumpled to the floor as soon as the blinding flash of light hit her. He wondered again, what is it like to die? To feel the life extinguished from you? Was it painful? No…he didn't have to wonder about that. After tonight, he was never going to die. Then he moved towards the baby that was standing up, holding onto the bars of the crib. Staring at his mother with huge green eyes which he had inherited from her. He raised his wand and pointed it at him. What fools thought that a creature like this could mean the end of him?

* * *

The memory slowly faded and Harry was staring at Voldemort who was watching him with a cruel smirk. He felt a slight wetness and he could feel the tears in his eyes. He felt contaminated, dirty, he was disgusted with himself. He had seen, no…he had _felt_ it. The pleasure of hearing his mother's screams. He uttered the words the killed his parents. Those memories were now his…

"Did you enjoy that Harry? Do you want to see it again?" Voldemort laughed. "Tonight the Potter family name disappears from the world. A pity...your bloodline was one of the purest as can be…that is until your father pursued a mudblood. Your blood is now contaminated." He cocked his head sideways. "It seems you have inherited your father's odd tastes in partners Harry…and here I was thinking your family could drag itself no lower." Harry felt anger flaring up in him when he realized who he was talking about. The Death Eaters were laughing.

"Stop it." Voldemort suddenly snapped and everyone fell silent. "Those eyes…I don't want to see that look in your eyes. _Crucio." _Pain, that was all Harry knew. A scream left his lips before he could stop it. This was far worse than what he had faced back then. Then, suddenly the pain left him, leaving him panting and gasping for air. It was getting harder to breathe and his vision was fading. He suddenly found himself staring at the white tree from his visions momentarily before he was staring back at Voldemort.

"Don't look at me with those eyes Potter. I want to see the despair in your eyes. I want to see you beg. _Crucio._" He hissed again. Pain took over him again but this time Harry fought against it. He was not going to give him the satisfaction. He was not going to scream. Voldemort let up after a few moments and stared at him. He rose his head and held his gaze, staring defiantly back at him.

"I will give you an honorable death Potter. We shall see how helpless you are. I will give you a true wizard's death. Now untie him Wormtail...and give him back his wand." Wormtail started towards Harry but stopped dead when Harry chuckled.

"An honorable death?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You killed my parents when they were unarmed and you tried to kill me when I was a baby. Now you want to give me an honorable death? You're a coward. Nothing but a coward." Some of the Death Eaters hissed.

Voldemort seemed to be shaking in fury but seemingly composing himself he murmured dangerously, "Untie him and give him back his wand Wormtail." Wormtail squeaked and hastened to obey his master. He quickly cut the bindings and Harry fell to the floor, unable to support his weight. He heard his wand fall to the floor with a clatter.

"Get up Harry Potter, get up and I will end your suffering. I will send you to them. Do not worry, your half breed will be joining you later." Voldemort whispered. The memory of his mother dying flashed before his eyes. Another memory surfaced, this one of a silver haired woman lying on the ground and he felt a surge of anger coursing through him. _He will pay. He will not get to her. _He slowly picked up his wand and got shakily back to his feet. Perhaps it was because he was too tired, too weak, or maybe he just didn't care at this point that his vision was in black and white now. He stood up and gazed at Voldemort who looked surprised momentarily.

Those vivid emerald green eyes, they were now a stormy grey. They carried no hint of warmth in them. They were not the eyes of one who wanted to protect. They were the eyes of one who wanted to destroy, to cause pain. The Death Eaters were murmuring among themselves and Voldemort silenced them when he raised his wand.

"I assume you are familiar with the customs of a wizard's duel? We bow Harry. Now…bow." Harry neither moved nor spoke and Voldemort raised his wand. "I said bow…_Imperio!_" Harry still stayed up, staring at Voldemort with cold eyes as gasps of surprise rang out through the Death Eaters assembled. "Very well. Begin." No sooner had he said it Harry moved, slashing his wand through the air and Voldemort's eyes widened before he nimbly side stepped as a narrow jet of silver flew past him, striking one of the Death Eaters right behind him who failed to move away.

The Death Eater that got struck gazed down, there was a gaping hole on his chest with blood flowing freely out of it. He fell backward as his mask disappeared. His face was etched in surprise.

Bile coated Harry's tongue as he stared at the body of the man who fell. He had killed him. Voldemort looked surprised and the Death Eaters were all silent, gazing at the body.

"You aimed to kill. And it's not even the most pleasant way to die." Voldemort murmured as he stared at Harry who looked transfixed at the body. A smirk formed in his face. "We are more alike than I thought." Harry barely had time to react as he turned just in time to see the lips move and a jet of green light was heading towards him. Throwing himself out of the way he sent a cutting curse at Voldemort who immediately conjured up a white shield. The spell struck it and disappeared with a hiss.

"_Contego Talea!" _Harry roared and Voldemort's eyes widened as his shield, his most strongest shield that had stood up to anything save unforgivables was shattered into pieces in a bright blue light and he disappeared with a swirl of his cloak just as a jet of silver light much like the one that brought the end of the fallen Death Eater sped through where he was a mere second ago. Some of the Death Eaters shrieked as they dived out of the way and he rematerialized on the side, watching Harry closely.

Harry could only see red, those glowing red eyes. Voldemort's wand was covered with a green glow. Those were the only two colors he could see. Everything else was colorless. He was momentarily stunned by the thought of taking a life but that though ceased to matter. He only wanted hurt the man in front of him. The man who killed his parents. The man who made his life a living hell. The man who could hurt the one he loved.

"I can see it in your eyes Harry Potter. I can see the hatred, I can see the anger. I will give you the same offer I made three years ago. Join me…join me and I will show you how misguided you are. Join me and I will promise never to hurt those who you hold dear. I can even bring your parents back."

"Never." Harry hissed. Voldemort smiled cruelly.

"Then die." They stared at each other, red gazing at grey and in one single motion, both of them moved.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _

"_Reducto!" _The jet of green light met the jet of silver light at the middle and suddenly, Harry's wand started vibrating violently. He almost allowed his wand arm to jerk upwards but fought against it, keeping it aimed at Voldemort. From the look of surprise on Voldemort's eyes and the way his wand his hand was shuddering he knew the same thing was happening to his wand too.

Harry watched as a narrow beam of golden light emerged from the tip of his wand just as one emerged from Voldemort's. The two met at the middle and Harry's wand was shaking so violently now that he had to hold onto it with both hands. His vision was slowly reverting to normal and suddenly, he felt himself get lifted into the air.

The Death Eaters yelled and drew their wands, closing in on Harry and Voldemort.

"Do nothing! He is mine!" Voldemort yelled despite the panic in his eyes as he watched the connection expand. The beam splintered and beams flew around them, encasing them in a dome. Voldemort's eyes were wide with panic now and Harry heard a beautiful melody, calming him and giving him strength. It sounded exactly like the phoenix song which he heard at the Chamber of Secrets.

_Don't break the connection _A melodious voice told him and Harry found himself unconsciously obeying it. Suddenly, Voldemort's wand started emitting screams of pain. Two more beams connected the two wands as Voldemort watched in panic. Something large, something that looked solid yet not so emerged. A smoky figure emerged from the wand. It was a man, an old man. He didn't recognize him.

"He was a wizard then? You..boy…fight him." His voice was echoing. It sounded as if it was coming from a great distance, as if through a veil. Harry concentrated on not breaking the connection. His wand kept trying to spin away from the beam. Voldemort's wand was now emitting more screams of pain.

Another smoky figure was emerging, Harry watched as a woman emerged. He didn't recognize her either. "Don't let go Harry! Whatever you do don't let go! They're coming." A few seconds later more screams came out and Harry felt a slight knot on his stomach. He knew…he _knew _who was coming. He watched as another woman slowly emerged, face first. She was smiling softly, as beautiful as she was from his photos and memories. "Wait for him Harry. Just a little longer, your father is coming." Harry numbly nodded, his eyes fixed on his mother.

The screams filled the air again and Harry turned his eyes back to Voldemort's wand as another figure slowly emerged. Voldemort's face expression was one of pure terror. He watched as the untidy hair emerged, sticking up in a way that was untamable. While his hair was no longer like that, he knew this was what he looked like just an year ago. This was his father. The smoky figures came towards Harry and he stared at his parents.

"Harry once the connection breaks we will still be here but only for a short time. You need to get to the cup. The cup is a portkey. It's lying right behind the tombstone. I can feel your anger Harry but now is not the time, promise me that you will get to the cup." Harry nodded swiftly and his father's face broke into a smile.

"We're so proud of you." His mother whispered and he turned back to her. She had tears clinging to her eyes. "Know that we will always be watching over you." Harry managed a small smile and nodded.

"Thank you." He said softly. Gazing at his parents before looking at the old man and woman who nodded at him.

"When you break the connection, we will linger for a few moments to distract snake face back here. And no, he can't hear us. He can only see." Harry nodded, more surely this time. His father then grinned, his grin was unnervingly similar to his own. "Look after her…you found someone special."

"Let go Harry…sweetheart you're ready. Let go." Harry glanced at his mother one final time and then jerked his hand up forcefully and he and Voldemort fell to the ground. Harry was prepared and stumbled but managed to remain upright despite the dizziness that came over him again. Even as he watched, his parents, the woman and the old man converged upon Voldemort who looked terrified at the sight of them.

"Get him! Don't let him get away!" Voldemort screamed. Harry was already edging around as fast as his feet would move. He couldn't move properly, the weight he was putting on his feet was causing him to stumble as his head kept spinning and nausea threatened to overwhelm him. He ducked as a Death Eater fired a jet of red light at him and he fired a stunner of his own, stopping it at the middle before thinking, _"Dispergam"_ Muffled thumps told him that at least four of them were falling to the floor, unconscious.

He caught sight of the gleaming blue cup lying in a few feet in front of him. Knowing he probably wouldn't make it before the rest of the Death Eaters caught up to him he pointed his wand and shouted _"Accio cup!" _and it zoomed into his outstretched hand and almost immediately he felt a jerk beneath his navel and felt himself being pulled into a rush of swirling colors. The last thing he heard was Voldemort's scream of fury.

Another second later his feet slammed onto the ground and loud, deafening cheers tore through the air. Somehow he managed to remain upright and gazed around, he was back at the entrance of the maze and the crowd was cheering although they were slowly going quiet as they took in his bloodied appearance. He looked around, his vision blurry as he struggled to remain on his feet. He saw a familiar figure, running towards him but before he could register who it was, he fell forward, unable to feel anything anymore.

**AN: Well…umm…how was it? Hope it came out alright… **

**Think this one is the longest chapter ever, excluding my notes of course. As you saw, I've kept some stuff the same as canon since it just didn't feel right to change 'em, taken elements from both the movie and the book although I did a few changes so as to keep it slightly different. **

**I'd seriously appreciate any thoughts you guys have on this (not like I don't appreciate all the earlier stuff, they were seriously awesome). I tried to make this one good so yeah…just let me know how it was. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and faved last chapter, glad to see that went well. I think I responded to everyone who had questions and stuff, but I might have missed some of you too so I apologize if I did :( **

**Oh yeah and I meant to change the rating to M before I put this chapter up, but I felt I needed to say this too before I did. I got a lot of PMs from concerned people who were a bit worried with what I meant by 'darker themes'. I will NOT be writing anything particularly graphic (definitely not a rape scene or anything like that…I can never write one). It will be the same story, same way of writing. You guys will see what I meant by 'dark themes' later as the story goes on. Think this way…these chapters and probably the next few ones are like the canon books 1-5. In my opinion, book 6 and 7 were meant for a slightly more mature audience. That's exactly the same thing I'm going to do here. The M rating is only because I can then freely use whatever strong language and **_**imply **_**certain things while keeping my paranoia in check. Like I said, I could still have this as a T rating and not worry about it. I guess I'll just hold out a little and change the rating when I feel like it…no hurry for now.**

**Aite, rant over. I felt this chapter was already too long (discounting the notes) so I didn't include the aftermath. All that coming up in the next chap :) Oh yeah, and in case some of you are confused, Harry's boggart has changed. **

**I know I have grammar mistakes here and there, please don't be too hard on me…Nah, on second thoughts, go ahead. I could use it to avoid mistakes later :D**

**Thanks again for reading. Hope again that this made for a good chapter.**


	13. Chapter 13

**You guys never cease to amaze me :) Thank you for all the support and keeping making it a joy for me to write this! **

**Enjoy :)**

**CHAPTER 13**

"Voldemort…" That was all Harry had managed to whisper on the brief moment he had regained consciousness when Dumbledore revived him before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Dumbledore had a gift, a tendency to be more insightful, an ability to anticipate things coming in the distant or not so distant future. Sometimes it was a blessing, sometimes it was a curse. In this case it was glaringly obvious which one it was. Ever since Peter Pettigrew had escaped last year he knew that the return of lord Voldemort was not too far off in the horizon. He had anticipated it, taken measures to prepare Harry just in case his hunch was correct. He had begun rallying his old allies again. Again he found himself wishing that he had been proven wrong instead of proven correct.

Snape paced restlessly in front of him, his face pale. "I felt the summons. The mark is as dark as it was 14 years ago. Karkaroff felt the summons. That's why he fled tonight…doubt he will get very far, he'll probably manage to stay alive a few days, a week if he's lucky." Dumbledore winced. No matter how many times he heard it, the idea of a life being extinguished never ceased to repel him. Snape stopped and looked him directly in the eye. "He's back. He's back and there's no mistaking it. It's a miracle Potter made it back alive."

"I know." He replied quietly, gazing at Fawke's who trilled softly. For that he was more prouder than he had ever been of the boy. He had become more capable than he had imagined.

He had made so many mistakes this year. Too many to count. A Death Eater, an insane Death Eater at that had managed to remain under covers in plain sight and he had not seen it. That same Death Eater had nearly succeeded in killing Harry three times in a row. That same Death Eater was the reason the real Alastor Moody was in St. Mungo's. Now two Death Eater's had managed to get into the maze and take Harry from right under his nose.

The man they had captured was only a small comfort, a minor victory. He had no knowledge of anything to do with Voldemort. All he knew was that he was promised money and power in return for his services with capturing the boy who lived and deliver him to the 'location' under orders from Fenrir Greyback. There was evidence of extreme damage to his mind, no doubt the result of powerful memory loss charms and it would take weeks or even months to piece together fragments of his memory. There were gaping holes in his memories when he had used Legilimency to search through them, as if they had been destroyed. It was clear that he was not important enough from the way he had been left behind.

Dumbledore pinched the bridge between his eyes and nose trying to lessen the ache his head was causing him. How had two Death Eaters gotten in? While he had no proof the man they captured was indeed a Death Eater seeing as he didn't have the Dark Mark branded on him, he was accompanied by Greyback. How had they gotten in? The cup was a portkey, that much was certain...had they used the cup to get into the maze too? It was possible…but that begged the question, who had turned it into one? The cup was only handled by a select few of the Department of International Magical Cooperation and Barty Crouch senior, the latter who had conveniently disappeared. From the way things are now he wouldn't be surprised if he was declared deceased.

The man masquerading as Alastor Moody held all the answers and there is no way of questioning him. He had been shocked when he had seen who it was once the disguise wore off. Barty Crouch Jr…a man that was supposed to be dead. This only increased the amount of questions that were fated to remain unanswered.

From what little information they had gained from the man that was now bound in irons down in the dungeons, they only knew that Crouch was insane and had broken free of their control, hence why they had killed him. When asked how they had gotten into the maze all the man had been able to produce was 'portkey'.

Almost all of his other questions had gone mostly unanswered or only partly. Try as he might he could not answer them even under Veritaserum. His mind had been torn apart…literally. The man could not even reveal his own name or past, something which sickened him. To lose one's identity was almost the same as getting subjected to a Dementor's kiss. He was nothing more than a shell of what he was. Whoever modified his memories had done so with the aims of producing a human puppet. Whoever it was had succeeded.

Yet there was a small thread of hope. The man confessed to Peter Pettigrew's existence, that he was one of his 'partners'. While this may not be enough to convince the Ministry of Sirius Black's innocence, this was definitely a step forward. He sighed as he remembered Fudge. With the lack of evidence and the amount of unresolved questions, how was he going to convince him and the Ministry of Voldemort's return?

Would Fudge take Harry's word? Would he take his word? He wasn't hopeful…what with the way he had been acting as of late and his nature, his vehement denial of everything, the way he kept dismissing the dissapearence of Bertha Jokins, Crouch Sr…Dumbledore knew he was not a good judge of character, that was one of his flaws. Yet he had a firm grasp of Fudge's character and that made him hope that he was wrong. The Fudge he had in mind was not prepared for the return of Voldemort.

Should he bring Harry into all of this now? No. He had been put through enough already because of his mistakes. He needed time to recover. From what he had gleaned from his examination, Harry was hurt badly, both physically and mentally. Poppy was doing all she could but the possibility was there that he might have to be transferred to St. Mungo's.

"Albus…" Snape whispered. He looked up, looking him in the eye. His face showed determination. It was the same look that had made him accept him on the night he had sworn loyalty to him. He knew what he had to do.

"You know what to do." He said heavily. Snape nodded silently and turned away, making his way towards the door. "Severus." He looked around. "Be careful." He gave a tiny jerk of his head before opening the door and disappearing from view down the spiraling staircase. The door slowly swung shut and he looked up at the portraits of the previous headmasters and headmistresses, all of who were wide awake and watching him.

He stood up, making his way towards the pensive and slowly placed his wand on his temple before directing it towards the swirling liquid on the ancient instrument, silver clinging to it. "It has begun." He murmured, watching as the Dark Mark formed before melding with the liquid as Fawke's gave a mournful cry.

* * *

Fleur gently wiped Harry's brow as he flinched before relaxing again. It had been three days since the third task, three days since he had come back looking like he had literally been to hell itself. Still it looked like he was not having even a moment of peace. The way his eyelids kept moving, the small gasps and moans were proof enough that he was still getting tormented by what had happened to him and it frustrated her in turn of her inability to help him.

He sometimes talked in his sleep, pleading for his parents. Pleading for her. Asking for their forgiveness. She knew that the boggart he had seen in the form of her body in the maze had affected him badly. She didn't even want to think what he had seen to make him murmur about his parents. She desperately wanted to help him, to take away his pain, to comfort him but he still wouldn't regain consciousness.

She had been terrified when he had gazed at her with unfocused eyes before collapsing in front of her. It was like her worst nightmare come true, his chest bloodied, looking like he had been mauled by a wild animal. She feared the worst and she had been hysterical, refusing to calm down or leave her hospital wing and ignoring her parents and friends who tried to comfort her until Poppy finally told them yesterday that he was slowly recovering.

"Can't you give him something? A…a potion for dreamless sleep at least?" Lupin asked Poppy who rubbed her eyes tiredly. It was only she, Lupin and Sirius that were allowed to be next to him since he was admitted to the hospital wing. Initially Poppy had been reluctant to let Fleur stay, she only allowed Lupin and Sirius to stay because Dumbledore had told her that Lupin was Harry's guardian. Sirius… because he was a 'special case'. Sirius had been uncharacteristically still and quiet making it seem as if he wasn't even there. She soon changed her mind and allowed Fleur to stay too when she saw that Harry relaxed significantly in Fleur's presence.

"I have, I don't know what's wrong…he shouldn't be having any nightmares at all." She muttered. "It might be the contamination…" She trailed off quietly and Lupin's eyes glinted dangerously while Sirius growled. Fleur unconsciously tightened her hold his hand and gazed at his face wondering how much more pain he was going to endure.

They had found that Harry's blood had changed slightly. She could remember clearly, Lupin had come back looking sickened after he had disappeared to see Dumbledore right after Harry got back from the maze while she had been sitting next to Harry as he moaned in pain. She had been horrified when Lupin told her that it was a high possibility that it was Fenrir Greyback that had attacked him and caused the horrific wounds on his body. Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf and a loyal supporter of Voldemort who had evaded capture for 14 years straight. He was notorious even in France and had a price on his head with orders to kill on sight.

It was this that had driven Fleur a little over the edge, refusing to be removed from Harry's side no matter how much the nurse, her parents or her friends tried. The only comfort they had was that the night the third task was held was not a full moon. But they all agreed that there would be small changes although none knew exactly what they were.

It was about three hours later when she felt someone's hand running through her hair. The touch was familiar and extremely comforting. She had fallen asleep with her head resting on her arms at the side of Harry's bed. She stirred slightly, and looked up. Lupin was on the other side, his head resting back against the wall his chair was leaning on and he too was fast asleep. Realizing who it was she got up, her earlier drowsiness forgotten, meeting the bright green eyes that were gazing back at her. She stared at him for a few seconds before she got onto the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck, momentarily forgetting about his wounds. He winced when her body made contact with his but stayed quiet.

"Hey." Harry murmured softly, his hands tightening around her waist and she felt herself being pulled closer to him while she willingly obliged, burying her face in the crook of his neck. She didn't say anything, choosing to enjoy the feeling of his arms around her again. The sound of his voice sent an immeasurable feeling of relief flooding through her. She hadn't known until now how much she had been longing to hear his voice and felt a few tears form in her eyes. "Fleur can you move your hand a bit?" His voice carried a hint of pain.

She looked up and immediately removed her hand which was now wrapped around his chest, over his wounds. "Sorry." She whispered, mentally berating herself for causing him more pain and made to move away but he tightened his hold on her.

"Don't go. It was only your arm…" He said softly. She gazed at his pleading expression and nodded, carefully moving her arms so that she wouldn't hurt him she snuggled into his side, smiling a bit when she heard him sigh contently, his hand gently running down her cheek.

"Harry!" Lupin's voice was filled with relief. She blushed when Lupin grinned knowingly at her but he didn't comment on why she was beside him rather than on the chair. "How are you feeling?" He asked tentatively, turning back to him. Sirius barked joyfully and got up, putting his paws on the bed while Harry slowly leaned over and petted him.

"Alright, bit tired but alright." He muttered. His expression suddenly darkened and he looked panicked. "Dumbledore…where's professor Dumbledore? Remus…Voldemort…" Lupin raised his hand, silencing him.

"We know, don't worry about that now."

"He's back! I-" His voice was getting louder and he tried to sit up but was stopped by Fleur who held him back.

"We know Harry. It's been three days since the third task. Dumbledore knows, we will talk about that later. For now rest assured that everything has been quiet, it's like any other normal day." Lupin said firmly.

"E's right 'Arry. Concentrate on recovering for now." She said softly, gazing up at him. He nodded slowly and rested his head back on the pillow.

"Harry…we need to know." Lupin asked hesitantly. "How did you get those wounds?" He gazed down at his chest and grimaced.

"Greyback…I'm not sure what happened." His expression then took on a look of horror. "No…Greyback, he's a werewolf isn't he? He…am I…?"

"No! no Harry you're not." Lupin said quickly. He didn't look convinced.

"But…he said something, when they took my blood he said that it was contaminated…"

"Who?...No. Trust me Harry, you weren't turned." Harry was agitated and he showed no signs of calming down though. He started shaking violently.

"My parents…Voldemort…" He muttered. "I killed someone, I meant to get Voldemort but..." He was getting hysterical and no matter what she did she couldn't get him to calm down. The doors suddenly burst open and Poppy came in with Dumbledore.

"Harry, Fawkes informed me that you're awake." He said calmly, striding towards them. "And Poppy, please get him a strong calming draught." She hurriedly sat up, blushing slightly as Dumbledore chuckled. "It's alright, stay where you are."

"Right away headmaster." Poppy hurried away and came back with a goblet with a pleasant blue colored liquid which she gave to her who helped him drink. Harry's breathing slowed down and she felt his grip on her hand relax gradually. Giving it a reassuring squeeze she was rewarded with a small smile.

"Feeling alright now Harry?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Yes sir." He mumbled. Dumbledore sighed softly and looked at Poppy who nodded and left, disappearing through the door to her office. He pointed his wand at the entrance to the hospital wing and it swung shut, locking itself.

"I assume Miss Delacour knows about your godfather?" He asked, looking at her. She nodded and he turned to Sirius. "You can turn back then Sirius, no one will be walking in for some time." A second later Sirius stood next to the bed and he immediately went to stand next to Harry, gripping his shoulder comfortingly.

"Harry…I would like to know everything that happened, from the moment you were separated from Mr. Diggory." Dumbledore said quietly.

"He doesn't need to talk about it yet Albus." Sirius snapped before he could open his mouth.

"It's better to get it out now rather than let the memory eat away at him Sirius. However if you do not feel up to it I will understand." He added to Harry.

"No…" He mumbled. "I can do it." Dumbledore nodded and looked at Fleur. Sensing what was coming she cut him off.

"I am staying wiz 'im." She said stonily. He chuckled softly.

"I didn't expect anything less." He turned expectantly to Harry who looked unsure, troubled and she could detect fear in his eyes. Ignoring everyone in the room she wrapped her arms tentatively around him, allowing him to lean against her. Lupin, Sirius and Dumbledore waited silently until he took a deep breath and started recounting everything that had happened.

It was worse, far worse than anything she could have imagined. She could feel how much it hurt him. His pain and fear was etched in his voice as he was forced to relive what he had seen. He described the graveyard, how the man called Wormtail had taken blood from him. The ritual itself was sickening and she unconsciously tightened her arms around him. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about how close she had come to losing him that night and it terrified her. He went on to describe how Voldemort had risen and how the other Death Eaters had returned to serve their master once again.

She felt herself shaking with rage far greater than any she had felt before when he described how Voldemort had planted the memory of how he killed his parents. She could hear the self-disgust in his voice. It was bad enough that he had to see that night replayed in his mind but to be forced to feel pleasure while seeing those who you hold dear killed was inhuman. She could see what had been tormenting him the past three days. Why he had been pleading. Lupin and Sirius looked furious. Sirius had his fists clenched tight and Lupin looked positively murderous. Even the headmaster who she'd never seen look angry didn't have the usual twinkle in his eyes, cold fury emanating from him.

He had stopped speaking at this point and had a few tears running down his cheeks. She felt her fury vanish at the sight and whispered soothingly to him, comforting him as best she could in front of the others by holding him close to her like she did in the maze. No one spoke as they waited until Harry could pull himself together again. Slowly and unceremoniously he began to speak again. It was plain that he wanted to get this done with soon.

His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke of killing the unfortunate Death Eater with the spell he had intended for Voldemort. She noticed that he was avoiding everyone's eyes and seemed to flinch a little away from her.

"I know how you feel Harry." She looked up. It was Sirius that had broken the silence. Harry didn't respond but she felt him relax slightly in her arms. It was a good sign. "You feel sick, dirty…you feel like you're no better than the scum that live on this world." His eyes narrowed. "Welcome to reality. When you're fighting against people that will not hesitate to kill you it's either them or you. Those Death Eaters…they are the foulest creatures to walk on this planet and they deserve every bit of pain they have coming to them." His voice was hard and carried a coldness she'd never heard from him before. She'd always seen the happy and cheerful godfather. Never this.

"It's not my right to decide who lives or dies." Harry muttered brokenly. Sirius growled in frustration.

"Neither is it theirs and they have taken up the Dark Mark! A sign that they can and will do anything for power. Harry who was it you were aiming to kill? The Death Eater standing unprepared at the sides or the man who was right in front of you? Are you saying that you would rather bind him and hand him over to Azkaban? Is that what you want?" Harry didn't answer.

"All this time we were not training a murderer. We were training a person, a person that has been screwed time and time again by fate how to survive. I'd say we did a pretty good job considering how you're back in one piece." Sirius shrugged. "What if I told you that whoever you killed had murdered hundreds…or even thousands of innocent people just 14 years ago? Would you still feel disgusted with yourself or would you feel that you have given the world a better future by ridding that man of it? What if that same man was the one that you would be reading in the headlines a few weeks or even years from now that had killed someone you hold dear? I will ask again, would you be content with chucking him in Azkaban? Or any wizard prison for that matter?"

"Everyone eventually comes to terms with it Harry." Lupin said quietly. "All of the Death Eaters…they've done unspeakable things in the past. It's a necessity, a requirement to join the ranks of lord Voldemort. All of them would have killed you without a second thought. If you had gone in there with the same naivety you had when you first dueled Sirius…we would have failed James and Lily and you would have been the cause of pain for the people who care about you."

"Remember this. You are not one of them. You will never be like them. The fact that you are troubled by the death of one of them, even one as evil as them. That is proof enough of the fact that you are not a murderer. Heck, when you come into terms with it later, you will be happy that one of them are right now knocking on the doors to hell. I know I am, I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of them and make them come to the same sticky end and I know I _will_ enjoy seeing the light fade from their eyes." Sirius grinned suddenly.

"I don't know about you but I have turned out to be a lovable stray that pretty ladies fawn over and I have the cutest godson a man can ask for along with friends that I would rather die than betray. If that's the definition of a 'monster' or 'murderer' in your dictionary…we better get you a new one and fast."

Lupin chuckled softly and she giggled, unable to help herself. Leave it to him to turn an extremely serious conversation into a comical one. She glanced at Harry's face and saw the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. She gently wiped a few stray tears out of his eyes and his eyes widened slightly and she saw for the first time since he had regained unconsciousness, true happiness in his eyes. The same happiness she had seen on the night they had voiced their love for each other.

Dumbledore didn't say anything and he seemed to be deep in thought, however he nodded in acceptance. She didn't really have much to think about, the only thing that mattered to her was that Harry had made it back to her. To her, nothing mattered more than him. There was a lot more going on here that she was only beginning to understand, the reasons why he called himself a 'heap of trouble'.

From the way he had been flinching away from her when he revealed that had killed another she knew that he was scared of facing her, probably worried that she would have been disgusted with him. No matter how long it took, no matter many times she had to beat it into his thick skull, she was going to make him see that nothing would change her mind about him. Ever.

Harry resumed his tale. When he reached the part when his and Voldemort's wands connected he trailed off again. She looked at Lupin, Sirius and Dumbledore, each of who were gazing at him intently.

"_Priori Incantatem" _Dumbledore murmured. Both Sirius and Lupin's faces mirrored each other's in shock. What was _Priori Incantatem? _"What happened after that Harry?" He asked quietly. Harry looked like he was struggling to speak for a few moments.

"I saw them…some people burst out from Voldemort's wand…an old man, a woman and…and-" He didn't look like he could go on.

"Your parents?" He asked gently and he nodded. She gasped, tightening her hold on his hand.

"The reverse spell effect?" Lupin asked softly.

"Indeed. A magical phenomenon that can only take place under unique and very rare circumstances. All of the requirements for it were met on the graveyard that day." Dumbledore muttered thoughtfully, more to himself than the others. Then he looked up. "Sorry, _Priori Incantatem _can only take place if two wands that hold twin cores are forced to do battle. The phoenix that gave the tail feather for Harry's wand gave another…the other feather which resides in lord Voldemort's wand."

"When they are connected, the two combatants are subjected to a battle of wills, poor Tom Riddle never stood a chance. The phoenix song which strikes fear into the hearts of the impure and emboldens those of pure heart coupled with Harry's strong willpower…it was not a battle to even begin with." He smiled gently at Harry. "The loser's wand is subjected to the reverse spell effect, forced to display the most recent spells it has performed."

"I talked to them…" Harrys said quietly. "Sir were they…I mean could I…" She could detect a note of hope and longing in his voice and it made her heart throb painfully. Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"No Harry, they were not real…nor were they ghosts of any kind. They have moved on. Those were echoes, fragments of what they used to be." Harry nodded slowly. Sirius and Lupin seemed to be at a loss for words. All of them were waiting for Harry to go on.

"I spoke to them…they were the ones that told me to get to the cup which was a portkey." He said in a strange voice. Dumbledore nodded again.

"For that we must be thankful Harry. But please remember that there is no way that the dead can ever be brought back to life. The reason why they were able to help you is because even in death they still haven't truly left you. They live on in your heart and they will always continue watching over you. All I can ask of you is to take comfort in that." There was a tone of finality in Dumbledore's voice and she could see from the pained expression on the headmaster's face that he didn't like telling this to Harry who noticeably sagged at his words.

"Now please get yourself some rest. I will not be troubling you with those memories again." He said softly before getting up. "I know you have many questions Harry. I will do my best to answer them but you have to concentrate on getting better now." Harry nodded silently, surprising her. "Sirius, Remus….I need you two now." He added before disappearing from view as he walked around the protective coverings that gave them privacy. They heard the sounds of locks being opened before silence settled again as his footsteps died out. Lupin nodded and got to his feet. After patting Harry's shoulder reassuringly he slipped out, after Dumbledore. Sirius gripped his shoulder reassuringly and looked at her, his eyes searching for something and she nodded, understanding what he was asking of her. He didn't have to ask really…she wasn't going to leave him alone. With a smile he transformed to his dog form and bounded off, disappearing through the entrance.

Harry remained silent although he seemed to snuggle into her arms a bit more as time ticked by slowly. She responded by slowly running her hand through his hair comfortingly.

"Fleur?" His voice was soft. She stopped her ministrations and looked at him, seeing the bright emerald green eyes staring back at her. "He…he knows about you."

"Who?" She asked gently. He looked pleadingly at her but she didn't understand the look. Whatever it was, it wasn't putting her ease though.

"Voldemort…he knows about you…us." He whispered. She stared at him. How would he know? But she dismissed that thought immediately. She wouldn't be surprised if all of Britain knew about them thanks to the infuriating reporter. She immediately felt worried, she knew…she _knew_ what he was trying to suggest and if he dared voice it…

"And?" She asked guardedly. His pleading expression stayed as they gazed at each other for a whole minute. Then he sighed softly before he looked away.

"I don't want to see you get hurt." He said simply. She was inwardly shaking in anger. After everything he was going to just throw it all away because of this? Another voice in her mind pleaded with her, begging her to understand and not get angry with him. His greatest fear was to have her taken away from him permanently. This was his way of ensuring that wouldn't happen. But her other voice was winning.

"What are you trying to say?" She asked, barely keeping her anger in check. "You want to…to stop seeing each ozzer?" Even as she said it made her heart throb painfully at the thought. His face took on a pained expression and she could see the thought was causing him just as much pain.

"If that is what it takes for you to be safe." He said quietly. Neither spoke for a while and she pushed him away from her.

"Zis is 'ow you repay me." She murmured, her eyes tearing slightly and Harry looked stricken.

"Fleur…"

"I stood by you all zis time despite everyzing and you would throw zat away so easily."

"It's not easy! I don't know if I can even do it but…" She turned to him sharply.

"Zen why would you even try?!"

"Because…Fleur I can't…I can't let anything happen to you. I…" He was struggling to find the words. She knew his reasons but she wasn't going to help him. The reason why she wasn't going to let him go was clear to her. He needed to find the reason why he shouldn't let her go either. "You mean everything to me! Nothing will matter if you were taken away from me…I can't let that happen."

"I know 'ow you feel 'Arry but you…you're only think about yourself." He looked stunned, if it were any other situation she would have laughed at his expression. He opened his mouth but closed it again with a hurt look.

"All zis time you 'ave never given a zought to what I am feeling." His eyes widened and he looked ashamed. He needed to see. He needed to understand. "Did you even take a second to zink zat maybe I am 'aving ze same feelings as you? I know zat your greatest fear is to see me being taken away from you. What do you zink my greatest fear is? I feel ze same way as you do, maybe even more. Now what do you zink I dread ze most to see 'appen? A dread zat 'as only increased wiz what 'as 'appened?" He stared mutely at her. She could see that he was trying to find a way to respond, to counter what she was saying.

"I am not a girl zat needs protecting. You may not know eet but ze 'appiest moments of my life are ze moments we spend togezzer. 'Ow do you zink I'd feel if I was to give up all zat?" He looked down, avoiding her eyes but she ploughed on. She didn't want to have to talk about this again.

"I will not stand aside and watch you get killed." She gently placed her finger under his chin and lifted his face up so they were looking at each other. "I will not allow you to leave me behind and you cannot ask me to move on. I will follow you…wherever you go." She whispered and it didn't take long for him to realize the implications of what her words meant. He slumped his shoulders dejectedly and stared back down on the bed, gazing intently at the covers and looking anywhere but at her.

"I didn't even want to try suggesting this." He finally muttered dejectedly. "I can't even think about being separated from you after the next few months…" She felt another painful throb in her heart at his words. She'd momentarily forgotten that after summer she wasn't going to see him every day as usual. He looked up at her, his face etched in pain. "I need you with me. But I just…I can't let anything happen to you." His voice cracked at the end and she slowly pulled him back into her arms. It was a good sign that he didn't try to fight it and instead relaxed into her chest.

"I know." She murmured. "But know zat eet is ze same way for me about you. So we're even." She heard a faint chuckle coming from him and smiled before pulling back and pressing her lips on his brow, just over his scar.

They stayed in silence, basking in the contact between the two of them until he finally looked up into her eyes. She smiled softly when she saw his vivid green eyes sparkling brightly. "No more 'suggesting' zose idiotic zings again zen?" She asked and he smiled back at her.

"Never." He murmured softly before allowing an edge to come into his voice. "I will not let anything happen to you." She felt the heat rush to her face and scowled playfully at him.

"I might 'ave to take care of you more often zan you 'ave to take care of me." He grinned at her before tenderly kissing her lips, increasing the heat in her face. She had just wrapped her arms around his neck and was starting to respond enthusiastically when Poppy came back into the room but stopped at the sight of them and they swiftly broke apart, blushes coloring both of their faces.

"I probably have the worst timing when it comes to you two don't I?" she asked humorously. She laughed while Harry grinned sheepishly at her. "Never mind that but Fleur…its almost time for dinner and afterwards the hospital is closing for visitors." She immediately felt Harry stiffen against her and saw a hurt look on his face before he looked away. She looked pleadingly at the matron who had seen the whole exchange before she smirking slightly. "I was going to ask you what you were going to do. Remus will be back later and that blockhead of yours…" She nodded at Harry. "Doesn't seem to relax at all without you. So…"

"Can I stay wiz him?" She asked. Harry blushed a little but she could see the hope on his face.

"Very well. I daresay you two will not try anything with his guardian watching over you will you?" Poppy asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"No!" Harry yelped making her and the matron giggle at the horrified look on his face.

"Alright. I will send a house elf up with dinner for you two. After you're done I need to tend to your wounds again but afterwards its lights out for both of you. Yes…even you Fleur. You can use the rest too." The matron added sternly when she saw her rolling her eye

They were soon tucking into a plate of sandwiches while she filled him in on everything that happened to the best of her knowledge for the past three days. It was painfully limited though, seeing as she had been beside him for almost the entire time. He paled slightly when she told him how Cedric had been muttering about killing him when he had been allowed in to see him for a few minutes.

As soon as they were finished Poppy came back and together with her they forced more potions down his throat ignoring his protests. It was honestly amusing how he was unexpectedly immature when it came to things like this.

He started giggling uncontrollably when Poppy tried to rub a rather strong smelling ointment on his wounds and only stopped when she took the job upon her hands and threatened to knock him out did he stop although his face was going red from trying to hold back his laughter. He was unexpectedly ticklish on his chest and she purposefully took a long time with it, partly because she loved seeing him fighting to holding in his laughter which made him look adorable and partly because the scars were rather deep and she wanted to make sure she didn't miss a single spot.

When the lights went out she felt him stiffen again against her when she half-heartedly removed her hand from his to go to the bed beside him. Over the past few hours he had not moved an inch away from her and had clung onto her like a lifeline. Gazing around the room she noticed the matron was gone and making a brief split second decision she moved away to change into her night clothes before climbing back into his bed while he watched with wide eyes.

"Don't try anyzing." She said playfully and she saw his face break into a wide smile, showing relief and contentment that made her want to snog him senseless which she did. Turning carefully so that her back was pressed firmly against him she felt him react to her causing her cheeks to redden. She turned her face up to him and kissed his cheek before turning back, taking his arm and with her and wrapping it around her waist before sighing contently and closing her eyes. She felt him pull her closer to him and bury his face in her hair making her smile softly. It wasn't long before she had drifted off to sleep while listening to his slow breathing.

* * *

Harry woke up feeling extremely happy and blinked slowly when he couldn't see anything but silver in front of him. He felt his hand on something, something extremely soft and without thinking squeezed it gently eliciting a small moan which made his eyes snap open, sleepiness forgotten when he remembered what had happened last night. He froze when he realized where his hand was and starting panicking slightly. She shifted against him which set off another reaction in him which he was sure she would feel with the way she was pressed against and hoped that she was still asleep.

Slowly he moved his hand and little by little started and started moving away from her when she giggled, freezing him in place.

"Grope and run 'Arry?" She whispered and he felt himself blushing so fiercely that he was surprised she wasn't moving away from him for the heat he was generating. Her giggles turned into a full blown laughter and he closed his eyes, enjoying the sound. He reached back and took his glasses, pushing them onto his face and promptly froze again when he saw Lupin smirking at him from his chair beside the bed who by the looks of it, had just woken up.

"I'll be back later Harry." He said, standing and yawning, scratching his beard. "You two er…carry on." Harry growled softly when he saw Sirius with his paws up on the bed, looking at him and Fleur panting. If dogs could grin, that was what the he was doing before he barked once and trotted off after Lupin.

He tried to move again but she moaned in protest and gripped his arm, holding it in place. "Five more minutes." He smiled and relaxed again against her. Closing his eyes and breathing in her flowery scent. The pain he had been feeling last night had diminished greatly and he felt better than he'd ever been. He still felt a little weird though. His hearing was far more sensitive than he'd remembered and he could hear her faint breathing. Shrugging slightly he closed his eyes and had almost fallen asleep when a loud scream snapped his eyes open and made him slam one hand over his ear which wasn't buried to the pillow to muffle the sound as a sharp pain shot through his ears.

"HARRY POTTER WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" He groaned audibly and felt Fleur stiffen against him. Opening one eye he saw Mrs. Weasley standing in front of the bed, her face an epitome of rage and bearing a startling resemblance to the banshee he'd knocked into in Knockturn alley, although this one had red hair instead of black. He saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny standing behind her, and further at the back he saw Aurélie, Caroline and Katie all of who were glaring at Mrs. Weasley.

Ignoring her he tightened his arms around Fleur and smiled when he heard her sigh softly. Looking up past the four standing nearest to him to the three at the back he saw that Aurélie, Caroline and Katie were starting to laugh while gazing at Fleur who he knew had probably closed her eyes again.

"What is she doing in bed with you?" Mrs. Weasley screeched again and he winced painfully at the voice which was far too clear and loud for his liking.

"Sleeping." He replied in a monotone. Thankfully at that moment Poppy came back into the room.

"Who is making a racket here?" She asked irritably, looking at the group standing in front of Harry's bed. "In case you didn't notice, this is the hospital wing. It's still early in the morning and some people are trying to get some rest, so please stop waking my patients up and leave."

"Madam Promfey! How could you let a girl and a boy sleep in the same bed?" Mrs. Weasley asked, making no effort to lower her voice. Poppy sighed and rubbed her eyes. Harry could see that she was definitely not a morning person.

"For a number of reasons that I don't think I need to tell you seeing as you're neither his parent or guardian meaning that you have no right to question me or them. The headmaster himself had no problem with them when he dropped by to visit, neither did her headmistress or her parents. His guardian was here all night too. I trust that is enough for you?" Mrs. Weasley gaped at her, looking at a loss for words. "Good, now please leave. Visiting hours begin in another hour." With that she turned and disappeared back into her office, slamming the door behind her.

Aurélie and the girls waved cheerfully at him, mouthing "We'll see you two later." Before leaving. Harry waved back at them and ignored Mrs. Weasley who was still standing rooted on the spot with her with Ginny next to her who was glowering at him and Fleur. Hermione hurriedly left, followed shortly by Ron. Ignoring the rest he closed his eyes, taking advantage of the silence and hiding his face behind Fleur's hair so no one could see his smirk. A few minutes passed and he was slowly starting to feel drowsy again when he opened an eye cautiously and sighed in relief when they were alone again.

He fell asleep again for half an hour and was shaken awake gently by Fleur. It was already time for breakfast and he nodded before getting up, swaying slightly before she caught him and held him steady. This was the first time in four days that he had gotten up after all. After freshening himself up he made his way back to bed, supported by Fleur. She had changed back into her clothes from yesterday and decided to go back to the carriage to change and get a shower. Promising to come back soon she departed after giving him a chaste kiss leaving him under the care of the matron who had woken up and started fussing over him.

Almost as soon as he was done with breakfast the doors to the hospital burst open again and he had to stop himself from groaning loudly when he saw it was Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Hermione again although Hermione looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. He didn't acknowledge the two redheads and smiled at Hermione who responded in relief before he turned his impassive face back to Mrs. Weasley who was beginning to fuss over him.

"How are you feeling now Harry?" She asked, brushing hair out from his brow. He stiffened at the contact but bit his lip. He wanted to avoid an outburst and get rid of them as soon as possible while at the same time not anger her.

"I'm fine, thanks." He muttered. Painful silence settled again and suddenly Ron stepped forward. Harry gazed at him curiously, he was staring at the floor, avoiding his eyes. For a moment no one spoke and Harry glanced at Hermione who grimaced gave a tiny jerk of her head towards Mrs. Weasley and walked away, disappearing from view.

"Harry." Ron said suddenly in a low voice. "Listen mate. I'm really, really sorry for everything that I did this time. I acted like the world's biggest prat and refused to listen to you. I know I don't deserve it but I still wanted to try asking for your forgiveness." Harry gazed at him silently. He sounded sincere but he knew that Ron would never have swallowed his pride and apologized to him on his own without the urging of Mrs. Weasley. No one spoke for a full minute until Harry finally sighed.

"It's alright. Apology accepted." Ron looked up in surprise and grinned uncertainly at him. Harry nodded at him but didn't say anything else. A few more seconds of silence ensued before Mrs. Weasley spoke again, relief evident in her voice.

"Thank you for giving him another chance dear. I will straighten him out over the summer, he was on his worst behavior this year and I'll be having a few words with Arthur about him." Harry nodded again and she smiled at him. "I was wondering if I should ask professor Dumbledore to just let you come to the Burrow straight from Hogwarts? It's easier and that way you wouldn't have to go back to those horrible muggles again." Harry felt a surge of anger in him but quelled it, schooling his face back to the expressionless mask he had before.

"No. I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, but I will not be coming to the Burrow this summer." He said politely. He thought he saw a flare of anger cross her face which was replaced by a hurt look.

"But Harry…I know what Ron did was bad but we were hoping you would start being friends with him again. Besides, the twins, Charlie and Bill will also be there and I'm sure Hermione will also come by later." She said pleadingly.

"I can't. Thanks for the offer though but I will be busy this summer." He said honestly. He was going to have to do the O. soon after all. Inwardly groaning he wondered how they were all going to react when they find what he did. He was slightly more worried about how Hermione would react when she heard about this. It would be a very painful blow to her pride and their friendship was already strained enough as it is. Unlike Ron, he didn't like pushing Hermione away. Despite her flaws she was still a good person underneath, it was clear from the time he had spent with her the last three years.

"Surely you won't be going back to those muggles and be staying there for the whole summer would you?" She argued. "I don't think even professor Dumbledore would agree to that." He sighed. They were going to find out soon enough anyway, he knew Sirius had already asked Dumbledore for him to allow him to go to France and he knew from Fleur that her father had also asked him on his behalf. If he wasn't allowed to go…well…he was definitely better off at the Dursleys. The isolation suited him just fine.

"No, I have a few things to do over the summer and I will be spending the summer with Fleur's family." The effect was instantaneous. Her face immediately hardened and she turned an ugly purple.

"And what do you think you're doing by going with them?" She hissed. Harry stared back at her.

"That…is not something you should be concerned about."

"I should think it is! I will not have you going off with that harlot. Lord knows what she might do to you and I…"

"I have already told you once before." He said icily, cutting her off. Mrs. Weasley flinched at his tone and stepped away. "I will not do so again. I don't care how well you have treated me in the past. I don't want you poking around in my life anymore. You know nothing about her and you have no say in what I do." A deafening silence followed his words ad he paused, trying to regain control of his emotions. His hand was gripped tightly on his wand and he was seconds away from cursing Mrs. Weasley and it scared him. It scared him that he wanted to hurt her, to make her feel pain.

"Get out. Unless you have anything to do in the hospital other than continue to aggravate me, get out."

"Harry dear…please I…" She started, looking stricken. Ron was glaring at him but he wasn't saying anything. The fear was evident in his eyes.

"I ask again. Please leave me alone." Mrs. Weasley stood rooted on the spot, unable to say anything. Thankfully, Lupin and Sirius (in dog form) came in and both froze at the heavy atmosphere. Mrs. Weasley seemed to snap out of it then and quickly left the room, followed closely by Ron. Sirius whined and trotted up to his bed and put his paws up so that he could get a better look at him.

"Hey Sirius." Harry murmured softly. He wasn't happy with how it had turned out. He knew he hurt Mrs. Weasley by what he did, but it hurt him even more when she continued to treat Fleur like dirt after everything she'd done for him.

"I don't think I even want to know what happened with her…?" Lupin muttered uncertainly, looking at Harry. He shook his head and he nodded. "I'm afraid you will have to deal with a little bit more…unpleasantness soon Harry. I asked Fleur and your friends to wait a little until it was dealt with." He grimaced. "Fleur wanted to come but well..." Harry looked at him questioningly, wondering what on Earth he was talking about. "Fudge is coming with Dumbledore and he's…ahh…you'll see."

True to his word, no more than 5 minutes later Dumbledore and Fudge strode in, Fudge was accompanied by a bald headed man with an earring and Dumbledore's usual twinkle in his eyes was absent.

"Let's see what this nonsense is about…" Fudge was muttering. Sirius started growling and Fudge stared apprehensively at him before sitting down next to Harry.

"Yes…now Mr. Potter, if you could tell me your version of what happened on the night of the third task."

"Minister, I thought you have been informed already of what happened?" Lupin asked mildly although Harry could see that he was agitated. Fudge eyed him like he was a piece of dirt underneath his shoe.

"Yes I have, I want to hear Mr. Potter's side of it." Sirius's growling was more pronounced now but Fudge ignored him and looked at Harry expectantly. Harry sighed, this couldn't be good. Slowly he forced himself to relive the experience again as he recounted everything. He left out the part with the memory of his parents and just when he reached the moment when Voldemort was asking Wormtail to untie him and give him back his wand, Dumbledore held up his hand.

"I trust that is what you needed Cornelius?" Dumbledore's voice carried a hint of coldness.

"Yes well…I'm sorry, but it's just not enough." Fudge answered, looking at Harry with an expression of disdain. Harry could have sworn he heard the man next to him curse under his breath.

"What more do you want?" Dumbledore asked. Fudge looked worried at the tone of Dumbledore's voice but he recomposed himself and stared back at Harry haughtily.

"Come now Albus, do you honestly expect me to believe him? The boy is clearly delusional, he's probably just shaken up over what happened in the maze. He's even talking about Peter Pettigrew, a man who has been dead for 14 years. I was part of the group that went to see what was left of him after Black was done with him."

"And still, you refuse to see reason Cornelius. Barty Crouch senior is dead. Igor Karkaroff is dead, paying the price for his betrayal to Voldemort. A Death Eater who everyone thought to have died in Azkaban has been proven to be alive." Fudge squeaked at the name. "You yourself have seen the Dark Mark on his and Severus's arm. It is as dark as it had been 14 years ago." Dumbledore murmured softly.

"It is you that refuses to see what really happened here Albus. I admit, to see Barty Crouch Jr. still alive was a shock and what happened to Alastor Moody is regrettable but that is all there is to it. He was mad! He was trying to kill Potter in his belief that you-know-who would rise back to power if he did. That was all there is to it. You also have to admit that the boy is deranged, with the company he keeps…" Here Fudge glared at Lupin again. "Who knows what is really going on in his mind?"

"I assure you that he is in as good condition as you and I." Dumbledore said sternly, his voice carrying over Sirius's growling. "I would advise you to not believe everything you read in tabloid newspapers minister"

"I will decide for myself what I believe in." Fudge growled. "You do not have any proof at all Albus, all you have are a few dead bodies, a man whose brain has been addled by dark magic and a known criminal that has been on the lose for years now. As for Pettigrew, the memories and confession of a man that is in the state as this one is cannot be taken into consideration. That man could have had his memories falsified. " Dumbledore pinched the bridge between his eyes and nose as Harry looked on quietly, wondering how on Earth a man can be, in lack of a better word, a complete idiot.

"If you do not heed my warnings now Cornelius, you are throwing the entire magical Britain into chaos with your refusal to accept the truth. There are many steps that should be taken. Everything that has happened was not by mere coincidence as you think. It was all orchestrated by Voldemort in order for him to rise again, which he has succeeded. He was never truly dead as you have believed for so long, he was merely biding his time. And now he has risen again. Unless you take steps now and unite everyone, every witch, wizard and creature under a single banner against the common enemy, Voldemort will rise again. Far stronger than he had ever been."

Fudge looked like he was trying to argue but kept failing miserably. Harry could see that he was terrified at Dumbledore's words. "He is not back Albus." He said harshly, standing up. "I will speak to you again at length later about the Crouches and the man you have captured will be sent to Azkaban. I will not believe the words of a 14 year old that is clearly disturbed. His actions in the school has gone unnoticed far enough. A parseltongue?" He shook his head and looked at Harry in disgust. "I will be keeping a closer eye on his deeds in here. Perhaps he may even rethink what he has said today. I will be waiting for the day he speaks the truth."

"I have already spoken the truth Mr. Fudge and I will stand by what I've said." Harry said quietly. "I will give a confession under Veritaserum if that is what you wish." Fudge looked taken aback and he saw that the man was panicked at his statement. Dumbledore didn't say anything and instead chose to look at the minister as did the others who had turned red and was avoiding Harry's eyes.

"I will decide about that Mr. Potter. Without hard evidence there is nothing to prove that you-know-who is back. Your word is unfortunately not enough to convince the whole of wizarding Britain." He said quickly, looking flustered. "Congratulations on winning the Triwizard tournament." With that he left hurriedly. The man that had come with him nodded at Dumbledore and Lupin and surprised Harry by patting his shoulder before following in Fudge's wake.

"What is making it so hard for him to see the truth?!" Lupin exclaimed angrily. Dumbledore sighed.

"While he may be a good minister at times of peace, Cornelius is not quite ready to handle a situation like this. He refuses to accept it simply because it's easier to just pretend nothing is wrong. To accept that Voldemort has returned would mean throwing the whole wizarding world into chaos again and he is not ready to do that just yet."

"Albus, we can't just wait without doing anything." Lupin said swiftly.

"I know we can't. We will have to work with what we have and hope Cornelius sees reason soon."

"Sir, isn't there anyway for me to…" Harry began but Dumbledore stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"You have already done everything in your power and more Harry." His customary twinkle was back in his eyes. "Your actions have given us the chance to prepare and has set back Voldemort's plans. Your offer to take Veritaserum was noble, however it is also dangerous for Fudge will no doubt exploit it. He is blinded by his prejudices." Harry nodded slowly and then asked something that had been nagging him.

"Why is he thinking that I'm dark and deranged?" Sirius growled again at this.

"His foolishness. I trust Remus will fill you in on that. It is honestly not anything you should trouble yourself with. Hogwarts was having a…small bug problem if you will." Dumbledore smiled as if enjoying his own private joke and Harry stared perplexed at the headmaster. "Rest assured that the problem has been taken care of. Now then onto lighter matters then, how are you feeling?"

"I feel a lot better now sir."

"Would you be able to return to school say…by tomorrow or the day after?" He asked and Harry nodded quickly.

"Yes sir."

"You're still my patient Harry and I will be the judge of that." Poppy's voice floated in from nowhere making Harry jump while Dumbledore and Lupin chuckled.

"See that you get well soon, after all we can't have the awarding ceremony without the winner can we?"

"What?! Sir I…"

"You are the clear winner Harry. It was down to you and Cedric towards the end and he was after all trapped by the maze which meant you were the last champion standing. It is pointless to argue." He added the last part sternly, effectively silencing Harry's protests. "Good. Now there is one more thing I have to discuss. I have no problems in allowing you to go to France with Miss Delacour and her family. They have been very persistent and something tells me it is unwise to anger Miss Delacour." He chuckled as Harry blushed at his words. Inwardly Harry felt extremely happy, that meant he was still going to be with Fleur and the others for the whole of summer!

"However…I am extremely sorry but I must ask you to return to your Aunt and Uncle. But only for a week." He added quickly seeing Harry's expression dim in a matter of seconds.

"Why?"

"Your mother's protection for one Harry and…" Harry tilted his head sideways.

"But Voldemort took my blood. He was able to touch me without feeling pain. Wouldn't that mean my mother's protection is not enough to keep him away from me anymore?" Dumbledore was momentarily speechless before he nodded with a small smile.

"As sharp as your mother then…while that is correct in theory, the protection your mother gave you was meant for you and you alone. I have some theories and while I do not believe that Voldemort would be so bold as to initiate an attack on you while the risks are too high, it _is _better to be safe than sorry."

"Also Harry that way when you get to France you won't have to worry about looking over your shoulder all the time. Much better to let everyone think you're still here." Lupin added. "If you're missing from the train ride to King's cross it will also raise too much suspicion. This way you would be killing two birds with one stone." Harry hated to admit it, but he could see their point. Although Lupin's reasoning admittedly made a lot more sense than Dumbledore's.

"Fine. One week then." He grumbled.

"Also Harry, about your O.W.L's , the French ministry has agreed to host the examinations for you and some of the Beauxbatons students who like you, are attempting them at young age. It's the same exam no matter which country you take it in and yours will of course be in English." Dumbledore said before he got up. "Don't worry, a letter will be sent to you before the exams explaining everything in detail." He added, catching sight of the uncertain look on his Harry's face.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, and if you need anything, remember that I enjoy licorice wands."

* * *

Harry was kept for the entire day in the hospital wing. His loud protests were only silenced when Poppy threatened to keep him in for the next few days too and let him out only for the end of the term feast. He had spent far too much time in the hospital wing this year already and therefore he was on his best behavior for the whole day.

Mrs. Weasley didn't make any more appearances from then on, nor did Ron. Bill and Charlie did come in to visit though and neither talked about their mother or any of the younger Weasleys which suited him just fine.

When he was finally released, he couldn't help but notice that the stares he was getting was similar to the ones he'd received back in the second year during the attacks. Lupin showed him the wizarding equivalent of a muggle tabloid rag dubbed 'Witch Weekly' which unfortunately seemed like one of the most popular magazines out there.

In it, they had done an entire week's coverage on him. Detailing everything, from his parseltongue abilities and his association with 'dark creatures' to his participation in the Triwizard tournament although the third task was done by a different reporter. The 'offical' version was a joke. All it said was that he had been badly injured by a creature in it and that he had killed it and taken the cup. All the information was provided by 'Witch Weekly's best reporter on duty, one Rita Skeeter although the third task was done by someone else.

Interestingly there was no mention at all about the recent deaths, Barty Crouch senior's body was never found according to Lupin and there was no mention of his son either. It seemed that Fudge had started controlling what was written in the newspapers..

He was extremely happy when another paper carried the headlines a few days later, _'Star reporter behind bars!' _complete with a photograph of the her locked in a cell somewhere, her mouth open in a silent scream. It seems that Skeeter was an unregistered Animagus, able to transform into a beetle which allowed her to spy on people for stories.

The one that had caught on to Skeeter's Animagus ability was none other than Daphne who had walked in on Malfoy and the others having a conversation with a beetle. Curious, she had waited until they'd finally stopped talking before she stunned them all one by one and after getting a good look at the beetle, taken it straight to professor Mcgonagall who had been only too happy to contact the ministry.

Cedric had been ticked off by him for what he did back at the maze but seemed content to leave him alone after giving him a merciless knuckle sandwich. The rest of the week sped by and all the while Harry felt like something was off. Everything was still the same. Everyone went about their business the same despite the fact that Voldemort had risen again. He had been expecting the news to start flooding in. Murders, slaughtering of muggles and so on…but no, there was nothing. The biggest news of the day it seems is about some new racing broom in production, magical accidents in the ministry which Fudge makes too much fuss of, the continuing campaign against the so called lesser beings (anything that is not considered human, even partially) and so on.

What was Voldemort doing? Did he really cause a setback to his plans? He hoped so…he hoped against hope that this peace and quiet was because he escaped the clutches of the dark lord again and not because there was something more sinister going on.

Eventually he stopped thinking about Voldemort and instead concentrated on studying and getting extra hours of tutoring from professor Babbling and professor Sinistra and spending the rest of the remaining days with Fleur and the others. Even though he knew that he was going to be seeing Fleur, Aurélie and Caroline again at summer he couldn't help but dread the time when he was going to be coming back to Hogwarts without the company of the French witches. He realized that apart from Fleur, Aurélie was the other person he would miss the most when he got back and sincerely hoped that they wouldn't all drop out of contact with him after the summer.

Fleur and the girls had been ecstatic when they found out that he was allowed to come to France in the summer and they'd immediately started making plans on various places to visit. There was also talk about something that would send a grown man running in the opposite direction; they all agreed that once he was in France, they were going to take him and buy him a completely new wardrobe. This declaration caused the twins, Jean, Basile, Cedric and a number of males from both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang who were within earshot to wince and offer their condolences.

He had no idea when or how, but Sirius had revealed himself to Dominique. It came as quite a shock to him when he had gone to the Room of Requirement intending to ask about his lessons only to find Dominique chatting amicably with Sirius and Lupin who froze before laughing at Harry's expression. From what he could gather, Sirius and Dominique seemed to have been better friends than he had originally thought.

Fleur's parents and Gabrielle left a few days before the end of term feast since Dominique had to get back to work. Gabrielle had gotten attached to him, Sirius and Lupin a lot over the past few days and all three of them had choked up a little when she started crying when her parents said they had to leave. She didn't know that he was going to be with them a few weeks later and immediately stopped crying when Apolline told her that she'd be seeing them again very soon, going from a distressed to extremely happy in a matter of seconds.

Harry started noticing subtle differences in him. He noticed that his hearing was far sharper than usual. It had taken him a bit of time to get used to it but it felt like he had been walking around with his ears partly covered to muffle everything. Apart from that, he found that he preferred meat a lot more and liked his steaks rare as opposed to being more thoroughly cooked than before. This made Fleur happy, the reason being that she always thought that the British overcooked their food. The other meaning behind her reasoning was caught on faster by the others than either of them and both were subjected to merciless teasing that left them extremely red in their faces.

He found himself paying more visits day by day to his 'old friend' although neither ever spoke to each other now. They always interrupted his nightmares, something which made him very thankful for due to the fact that they had become more horrific seeing as he was forced to relive the memory of his parent's death, it was torturous watching everything happen while he himself raised the wand and uttered the killing curse to end his parent's lives.

He was always brought out of the nightmares and into the front of the tree that kept him transfixed for the remainder of the night until it was time to wake up. He had no idea why he was so…drawn to it. The hooded figure just watched silently and more than once he wondered if there was something that it was waiting for to happen before it stepped in.

All in all, the end result was that he was unnaturally sleepy for the rest of the day, occasionally falling asleep at random times for a few minutes and refusing to wake up no matter what anyone tried. The first few times this happened caused Fleur to panic badly as did the others while Fred and Katie gazed at him worriedly. They had found him under similar circumstances like this before. He finally managed to convince them that it he was alright and that it was probably because he was still too tired. It was a bad lie and they didn't seem satisfied with his explanation but seeing as he did wake up after a few minutes, they reduced their panic. Somewhat.

It was on the day of the final feast before they returned home that the awarding ceremony was held. Harry had honestly hoped that it had been forgotten and purposefully kept quiet about it but it seemed that he wasn't going to be able to wriggle himself out of that one.

For once, the final day in Hogwarts before he returns in September was not the cause for his distress. He couldn't wait until he was in France with Fleur and the only thing that did get him sad was the fact that he wouldn't be seeing her for a whole week. That combined with the prospect of returning to privet drive was not a comforting thought at all. Again he wondered how on Earth he was going to handle everything that next year was going to bring without her by his side.

The feast was one of the best in all his memory. Even the fact that Gryffindor took second place this time, breaking their winning streak of three years in a row did nothing to dampen his spirits. Admittedly, he just didn't care anymore. The first place was taken by Ravenclaw, third by Hufflepuff and fourth by Slytherin meaning that the entire hall was decorated with blue hangings. The Durmstrang students had also taken their place at the Hufflepuff table, making Malfoy look positively murderous.

After the feast Dumbledore vanished the four house tables, surprising everyone by conjuring benches for groups of people to sit. Fleur had a mischievous glint in her eyes that made him instantly wary of her. Smirking at him she settled on his lap making him blush crimson while the others sniggered. Not willing to be outdone he retaliated by wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the space of her neck, just below her ear before resting his chin on her shoulder. She froze momentarily and he could feel the heat coming off her face in waves before she leaned back against him with a content sigh making him grin and nuzzle into her neck eliciting a giggle.

Ignoring the envious and longing looks cast their way they turned towards the front table where Dumbledore was standing next to the Triwizard cup, his eyes twinkling in their direction. When the whispered conversations around the hall ceased he smiled and stepped forward.

"Yet another year has come to an end. I confess, this has been one of the years in Hogwarts that I have found particularly enjoyable as headmaster." Most of the students were nodding in approval at his words. "It has truly been an honor to have played host to two of the most prestigious magical schools in the world. It is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to the students of Durmstrang and…" Harry shook himself, his eyes had been slowly drooping shut and the rest of Dumbledore's words were lost to him.

"...the friendships formed…" Dumbledore was continuing but his voice was getting faint. Twice he jerked himself awake when Fleur squirmed to find that he had been resting his head on next to her neck with his lips grazing her skin. Quickly muttering a quiet apology he strained to keep his eyes open and fixed at the headmaster as he spoke, missing the worried look Fleur gave him. He thought for a moment that his vision lost all color and saw the hooded figure standing right in front of him, tree behind him before he shut his eyes tight and reopened them to find it back to normal.

"…By looking around the room it brings me great pleasure to announce that the Triwizard tournament has accomplished its primary goal of…" It was no use, try as he might, he couldn't stay attentive for too long. It was taking all of his power to not rest his head on Fleur's shoulder and sleep. His vision flashed again but this time he wasn't able to pull himself out of it. Finally giving into it, he stopped fighting whatever was causing this and gave his full attention to the hooded figure that raised a skeletal hand, pointing it directly at him.

* * *

Fleur was beginning to rethink her bold idea of sitting Harry's lap. She kept feeling shocks run down her spine and kept shivering when she felt his warm breath on her neck. It wasn't like she didn't like it, she loved what he was doing and was unconsciously exposing more of her neck to him and enjoying the feeling of his soft lips on her skin.

It was beginning to get a little too hard to keep still as she found herself responding to his actions. It was both torturous and extremely pleasurable. She squirmed, trying to keep her composure and stop the urge to turn around and return the favor. Students were all around them and she thought she saw Caroline smirking at her before quickly turning away.

Unable to stand it she turned, unsure of whether to scold him for being so bold (although another part of her was enjoying the fact that he was) or ask him to wait until the whole thing was over so they could find a more private spot. She stopped when she caught sight of his drooping eyes and felt a spasm of fear pass through her. She'd seen this happen to him at increasingly frequent intervals ever since he'd gotten out of the hospital wing.

"'Arry? You alright?" She whispered. He gazed at her and hurriedly apologized before turning back to look at the headmaster. She gaped when for a moment, his vivid green eyes dimmed to be replaced by a cold stormy grey before he immediately shut them again and reopened them and she saw they were once again the normal green. His eyes were unfocused and she saw that his eyelids were drooping.

"What's wrong?" She asked in a whisper. He didn't answer and an unnatural silence had settled over the hall and she glanced at the front tables where Madame Maxime and a man in blood red Durmstrang robes have joined him. She shuddered involuntarily when she felt his warm breath on her neck again and turned around to find that he was well and truly asleep.

"The champions have all proved themselves to be truly exceptional and I think I speak for all of us when I say that they have all made us proud to call them our friends, classmates, mentors or students. Depending on who it applies to." He added, his eyes twinkling brightly as several of the students laughed. "However for every competition there has to be a winner. But remember, each and every one of you have made your school proud." He said firmly and deafening applause followed as everyone starting cheering.

She hoped against hope that Harry would have woken up and glanced back at him. He was still out of it and she pinched his hand hard to no avail as he didn't respond at all. Turning back to Dumbledore she noticed him gazing at their direction with a concerned look.

"May I have the four champions up here please." A stern looking man called from next to Dumbledore. She hadn't noticed him but he looked like a ministry official. She kept trying to shake him awake when Dumbledore chuckled.

"It seems one of our champions is not with us at the moment. Miss Delacour could you try to wake him up please?" He asked merrily and she felt heat flooding to her cheeks when everyone turned to look at them. Several laughs broke out and at that exact moment Harry's eyes suddenly snapped open and looked around wildly. "Ahh it seems you have finally decided to come back to us Mr. Potter." He said, humor evident in his voice as several students burst out laughing.

She got up and pulled him out of the chair and walked up to the front, pulling a bewildered Harry with her to where Krum and Cedric were looking like they were trying their best to hold in their laughter. The ministry official was holding the Triwizard cup and glared at Harry before passing the cup to Dumbledore who cleared his throat.

"Interestingly, the winner of the Triwizard tournament is someone who had been an unwilling participant and the youngest of the champions. This just goes to show that age is not the measure of a witch or wizard. It is the strength of character that makes us successful, something which the goblet of fire searches in us to deem who are worthy. That alone is a great honor." The four of them dipped their heads in acknowledgement and she almost laughed when she saw that Harry was blushing furiously and looked like he would rather be anywhere than up here. She gripped his hand reassuringly and he smiled gratefully at her, squeezing her hand in turn.

"So without further ado, I give you the winner of the Triwizard tournament, Harry Potter!" The applause was varying, the loudest coming from the Gryffindor table where the twins and some of the boys from Beauxbatons including Jean and Basile were standing on their seats clapping particularly hard. She saw Aurélie, Caroline and Amy waving furiously at them and she grinned and waved back. Turning to Harry she saw that he was smiling in a strained sort of way and holding up the Triwizard cup half-heartedly. Once they all grouped around Harry for a wizard that appeared with a camera, they returned to their seats.

Dumbledore didn't say anything for a while and the students were starting to gaze at him curiously. He hadn't moved at all from where he stood and finally after a whole minute he spoke.

"Times are changing." He began. "No longer should we try to push each other away, we should focus on strengthening the bonds we have formed with us here. It has become imperative that we stand united in face of the dangers that the upcoming years will bring and the first steps we can take should begin from where we stand now." He paused. "I am sure that you all have no doubt, heard stories of what had happened inside the maze? The ministry doesn't think it's wise to announce this, but you need to know. You need to know what we're up against."

The students were all sitting up straighter. Harry on the other hand had a far-away look in his eyes and she could see a flicker of pain reflected in his eyes. She leaned her head against his shoulder and he tightened his arms around her with a small smile.

"Lord Voldemort has returned." Dumbledore said firmly. Gasps and shrieks rang out throughout the hall from everyone except for a select few people in the room. She never understood how someone could be afraid of uttering or even hearing a _name_.

"I tell you this because you need to know and set aside your differences and band together to face a common enemy. We have been given a chance to prepare, a chance to anticipate what's coming thanks to Mr. Potter who fought his way back out of the clutches of death at the hands of Voldemort. We must use this chance to ensure that the wizarding world will not fall back to the chaos it once was." The students were speechless and most of them had terrified looks on their faces while some were shaking their heads and glaring at Dumbledore and Harry in turn.

"It is with this warning that I bid all of you farewell and wish you all good luck in your summer endeavors." He smiled and turned towards Madame Maxime and the man from Durmstrang. "Help will always be given to those who ask it and we would be honored to play host to you again at any time of need. Hogwarts will always have its doors open to you and I sincerely hope that we will meet again."

* * *

The trunks were packed and the corridors were deserted as Harry slowly made his way back downstairs, wishing that the stares would stop. As he walked down the stairs he couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness as he thought back to what had happened this year. He grinned slightly when he remembered Aurélie chasing him down the corridors, the twins, Jean and Basile shaking laughter huddled outside the library, Caroline grabbing him and pulling him inside the broom closet every single time they passed one to annoy Fleur…all those things were not going to be possible anymore.

He had already given away his Triwizard winnings, the prize money of one thousand galleons to the twins. He'd been surprised when he'd found a large pouch of money inside the cup and had immediately sought out the twins. He already had all the money he'd need and it was much better to give it to someone who could put it to real use. He knew that they had been working to raise money to go on with their idea for a joke shop. They had protested furiously against it but had let up when Harry binded them both and told them that unless they agreed to take the money, he would leave them like that for the rest of the day.

Down at the grounds he ignored the students who were milling around, saying their final farewells and wishing each other a happy vacation. He saw Ron, Hermione and Neville standing next to the twins, Ginny and Lee. He waved at the twins and walked on. He didn't want to talk to anyone, they were probably no doubt filled with questions as to what happened in the maze. Perhaps the twins, Aurélie and the others knew a bit of what had happened courtesy of Fleur but they didn't ask him anything about it, something that he was very grateful for. He wanted to avoid thinking about that night if he could help it.

He met Daphne halfway who made him promise…no…demanded that he write to her for the whole summer. Then she hugged him in front of everyone eliciting cries of shock as always from the mass of Gryffindors and Slytherins mixed in with the crowd.

A grin formed on his face when he saw Fleur and the others already gathered around carriage. He was swarmed by the other Beauxbatons students all who wanted to bid him goodbye. Unknowingly he had become friends with every single one of the 20 students that had arrived and it took a few minutes before he finally reached Fleur.

He was pulled into a tight hug by Caroline who, for the first time since he'd known her, looked down.

"Take care of yourself." She murmured, standing on tip toe and kissed his cheek. He grinned at her and her usual grin hitched back up on her face. "We will see you soon, right?!" She asked firmly.

"Maybe…no! I mean yes, yeah you will." Harry added hurriedly when her eyes flashed dangerously. She smirked and patted his head although she had to stretch her hand up high. He had grown quite a bit since she'd last seen him.

"Good boy." She stalked off towards the twins who immediately got on their knees as if they were greeting their queen. He saw Fleur, Cedric and Krum at the side and was just wondering where Aurélie and Amy were when he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Amy who hugged him tightly and made him promise to visit her once he was in France. Still looking around for Aurélie he started walking towards Fleur and the other champions when he felt someone pull him behind the carriage. His grinned but his smile faltered when he saw that Aurélie looked more down than Caroline. She didn't say anything and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'll miss you." She said quietly, pulling back.

"Hey…I'll see you again when I get to France in a few weeks." He murmured softly. She shook her head before sinking back into his arms, he was momentarily surprised but tightened his arms around her. He understood how she felt, they were never going to be able to talk and laugh with each other as they did every single day here. He saw out the corner of his eye the spot where he, Fleur and the others spent most of their time in. His heart felt heavy when he remembered all the times they had spent near the lake. They were honestly the best times of his life and he hated the thought of not being able to go back to those times anymore.

She smiled and leaned in, lightly pecking his lips and drew back with giggle at the look on his face. He was going to speak when she silenced him by placing a finger on his lips. "You are my best friend apart from Fleur 'Arry. I will be waiting for you two in France." He smiled and nodded, and after one final hug she let go of his hands and walking towards the others. Cedric got to him before he could get to Fleur who was watching him in amusement as he struggled to get out from under Cedric's arm.

"It vas a pleasure to compete against you." Krum grunted, grasping his hand in a firm handshake. "I hope ve vill see each other again."

"Same here." He said with a grin. "Who is that?" He asked curiously, nodding towards the man standing a little bit at the back.

"He's just here to take care of us." He snorted derisively. "All he does is sleep while ve do all the work." A loud horn blared in the distance, coming from the skeletal ship. "I hav to go. Farewell Harry Potter."

"It's Harry." He said with a nod and he could have sworn he saw a smile playing on his lips.

"Viktor here." Laughing he waved at him and Cedric before setting off towards the ship. Seeing Fleur watching standing beside the carriage he made his way towards her, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. _You are going to see her again in a week! _But the prospect of saying goodbye to her was painful.

When he reached her, he couldn't form any words at all. Even after all this time he still couldn't believe how things had turned out between them. He couldn't believe how much he had come to depend on her. Even the thought of not seeing her again for a week was too much for him and yet he cherished it, he liked the fact that he felt that way about her. He didn't see it as a weakness. Rather, he saw it as his greatest strength because he knew now without a doubt that she felt the exact same way about him.

The horses were pawing the ground with their enormous hooves impatiently and she smiled at him before embracing him. They stayed together, in each other's arms for as long as they could, neither willing to let go of the other. The horses pawed the ground again and she looked up at him. He was now slightly taller than her when earlier they had been the same height. A glistening tear slid down her cheek and before he knew it, her lips were moving tenderly against his own.

They remained locked in embrace with no care of anything around them. He felt her murmur something softly against his lips but it was lost as she fisted his shirt and pulled him still closer to him, kissing him more firmly. When they finally broke apart she closed her eyes and leaned her head against his with a sigh. After what felt like ages she opened her eyes and moved away.

"One week, one week and I'm coming for you." She whispered fiercely.

"I know." He murmured. She nodded and turned away abruptly, walking swiftly up the steps to the Beauxbatons carriage and disappearing through the door without turning back. He stood watching as the horses finally started moving and soon they were in the air, pulling the carriage with them. He watched them disappear in the skies through the clouds with one hand closed firmly around his necklace which was glowing brightly. _One week…its only one week._

**AN: Yay! Book 4 is done and it's a huuuge weight off my shoulders, I no longer have to stick close to canon anymore :D **

**Thought I'd make Harry all big and furry right? Wouldn't even dream of it…it was my fault actually for bringing Greyback into the mess…it would have been so much easier to choose a completely human Death Eater…ah well…**

**Seems like I do this all the time now, but again…I'm sorry for failing to respond to some of the questions which you guys had. It was for a number of reasons actually, I **_**did **_**respond to some of you who had concerns about Harry being a werewolf…honestly there were a LOT of you that had those concerns so I purposefully avoided answering that question…it is a spoiler if I keep answering like that right? **

**Other than that I am really, really busy right now, classes have already started and I didn't actually have time to spend on my computer…I mainly used it to type this one up most of the free times I got which was very limited. Partly because my internet has been acting up and behaving strangely, not letting me access it at times and partly because I wanted to get this one up asap. Since classes have started I can't say for sure when I can update again so yeah…**

**I know most of you wanted to see everyone accept that Voldemort's back. I felt like I won't have much to write about if everyone started worshipping Harry as a hero. Besides, if everyone accepted him how can I go medieval on Umbridge when 5****th**** year starts? :D**

**Got everything down I guess, hope this one went well…as always please leave anything you gotta say :) Thoughts, ideas to improve, mistakes that stood out to you…anything. **

**I'm out for now, kinda rushing it at this point. Hope this was a good read!**

**Oh and I wasn't able to re read this...kinda ran outta time...sorry! Will edit later**


	14. Chapter 14

**Took longer than usual…buuut we continue! Book 4 was finished last chapter. Book 5 begins here. Thanks a lot for the responses for the last chap :) You guys rock! More of my rants later. **

**Normal disclaimer…-insert here-**

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 14**

Hot.

That was the only word that kept repeating again and again in his mind as Harry walked wearily down the streets of Privet Drive. His shirt clung to his body in a way that made him want to run to the nearest source of water and jump into it.

"My ice cream is melting!" A high pitched and distressed, yet strangely pleasant voice whined next to him and he grinned down at Leah who was pouting adorably with the beginnings of unshed tears in her eyes and looking at her ice cream cone with such sadness that made Harry want to do whatever was humanly possible to replace her expression with her cute smile.

Stopping and crouching down so that he could gaze into her light brown eyes he waited until she looked up at him. She finally tore her eyes away from the ice cream cone and locked eyes with him.

"So I'll get you another one." He murmured softly, grinning when her face lit up in a way that made his heart ache as he remembered someone else whose face lit up exactly like that.

"Promise?" She asked, her eyes huge and holding out her pinky with her free hand. Harry laughed and wrapped his own finger around hers.

"Yep." She smiled brightly at him and proceeded to eat her cone happily and clinging onto his hand, pulling him in the direction of the park.

"You are spoiling her you know…" Another voice said gently from behind and he turned to see one of his new found friends watching them with a smile on her lips, her pale green eyes twinkling.

"I can't help it. And you can't blame me! She does this to you too!" He shot back at the attractive brunette who laughed before walking up quickly to get into step with them.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Another voice shouted and a male ran up to them, panting slightly. "You two are so mean! Ditching me in that shop like that…anyone would think I was some kind of third wheel. You promised we were going to hang out all day long Linda!" He whined, fixing the brunette with a glare.

"Well…I didn't want to see my boyfriend drooling over all those...cartoon stuff you watch. And neither does Harry…right?" Harry nodded vigorously; it was truly an embarrassing sight watching his friend make a complete fool of himself. The drooling part…let's just say he has his moments when he goes into transports of delight and enters a world of his own. "And besides…" She continued, "Leah just happened to come by." Leah grinned and swung Harry's hand back and forth happily.

"Yeah yeah…you I can understand not liking them. But _you_! You are abnormal!" He said dramatically, pointing his finger accusingly at Harry who smirked. He was sure that whatever Linda had said after she mentioned that he didn't like the 'cartoon stuff' was lost in his disbelief of how any normal boy around his age wouldn't like it.

"Maybe I am."

"You definitely are!" Harry just smiled and shrugged. Matt was always like this. He wrapped his arm around Linda's waist as they continued to walk and Harry quickly turned away. The sight still managed to give him an ache in his chest and make him feel incredibly lonely as his thoughts kept drifting to a certain silver haired witch.

Matt, Linda and Leah were all new to the neighborhood. Matt and Linda were both 16 years old and had recently moved to Privet Drive. Leah was Linda's sister and they lived in the newly redecorated no. 2 house down the lane. Matt lived with them too since his parents had passed away in a tragic accident a few years back and Linda's parents had taken him in despite him dating their daughter as the two families had very close.

Today was the 6th day of his torturous week apart from Fleur. _His _Fleur. She hadn't even written to him over the past 6 days and that had been a very painful thorn at his side. He wanted to send Hedwig with a letter to her but something in him kept holding him back. His necklace kept gleaming brightly to the point that it was difficult to hide it from the Dursleys…or anyone else for that matter as he attracted many curious glances when walking down the streets. Yet he never removed it as it calmed him down whenever he got stupid thoughts like if she had gotten tired of him. He still couldn't understand why though.

He kept thinking he could hear her voice whenever he was lying in bed at night, staring at the ceiling absentmindedly while caressing the pendant tenderly. It sounded so far away and yet so close at the same time and it was always the same thing, her voice. Saying his name the way he had come to love, whispering it again and again.

He had a framed photo of her, set beside his bedside table which he gazed at for hours at night. He didn't have the one of both of them together, the sight of her in his arms only made it more painful for him. This one was of her in her Beauxbatons uniform and it was one he had acquired sometime after the third task. She looked so forlorn in that as opposed to the bright and happy smile she had just a week ago. He had taken to staring at it every night before he drifted off to sleep, it was calming seeing as her almost unblinking gaze was fixed on him too.

If there would be no problems, he would see her again tomorrow and they would have the rest of the summer together. It was almost too good to be true and Harry tried not to think about it each day. It would be too much of a disappointment if he wasn't able to go. The thought and the lack of contact still did hurt him a lot more than he was willing to admit. _When did I get so weak…_

"Earth to Harry…" A faraway voice sounded. He shook himself slightly and turned to Linda and Matt who were watching him.

"What's up man?" Matt asked, "You're always like this…happy at some points. Then you just get depressed." He forced a smile back to his face and shook his head.

"It's nothing." Linda caught on quickly though. He had no idea why, but he was easily readable to any woman who knew him.

"Thinking about her again?" She asked softly. Not knowing what to say he shrugged. They knew about him and Fleur, he had fun telling the two about his life as they in turn told him about theirs. His life that had nothing to do with crazed Death Eaters, Voldemort or death…or of the magical world for that matter…it was refreshing to be able to talk about it so openly and relive the memories. "C'mon Harry trust me on this, she hasn't forgotten about you or anything. She'll be there tomorrow." He sighed softly and nodded.

They had just reached the park and Leah was dragging Harry towards the ice cream vendor while the other two stood by, watching in amusement. Leah was very taken with Harry, something which amused Linda and made Matt a little jealous, although he had recovered when he'd seen just how clingy the little girl is. Having a little girl holding his hand took away the 'manly side' according to him.

The three of them talked a while longer as Leah ate her ice cream and soon Leah was fast asleep as the three continued to chat. Matt leaned against the tree next to him with Linda in his arms and grinned mock triumphantly at him, pointing at Linda in his arms and then at Leah who was asleep in his arms. Harry grinned and Linda elbowed her boyfriend good naturedly and settled down, watching the rest of the people in the park that were engaging in various activities ranging from sports to just relaxing.

Harry thought back to how much had happened since he had come back to Privet Drive. The days had been long. Too long. Far too many things had happened and there were far too many things on his mind that he had been given to ponder about.

The train ride back to London was uneventful; no one tried to seek him out as they did in school so he was left at peace mostly. Maybe it was mostly because he took refuge in Daphne and Tracey's compartment who were admittedly the only two whose company he enjoyed outside of the select few Gryffindors and Hufflepuff. Tracey had finally given up on her crush on him…or so it seems, but he didn't care. Either way, he had gained another friend and for that he was thankful.

Hardly anyone that wasn't a Slytherin would ever come in there and as even those two were detached from the rest of their house, they were left mostly undisturbed for the whole journey. Except Malfoy of course who considers a train ride wasted if he doesn't have a go at Harry on a train ride. It resulted in him and his two thugs getting stunned before he could get a single word out, leaving them unconscious outside their compartment for the whole journey with.

Once they reached King's cross, he was surprised yet pleased to find Lupin and Sirius (Animagus form of course) waiting for him to cross the border to the muggle world with. After saying good bye to the few he knew, which included Cedric's parents too who were rather taken with him, they crossed over, ignoring the Weasleys completely. It wasn't like Mrs. Weasley didn't try, she started making her way towards them but was forced to remain still by a glare from Lupin.

The Dursleys were pretty much withdrawn as they always were around _his_ people. Vernon Dursley's eyes widened when Lupin approached him with Harry and explained to him in mild tones that he would only be staying for a week and that there would be consequences if he or anyone for that matter, tried to interfere when they came to take him. At first he looked like he wanted to argue. Harry was after all, their main source of labor for caring for the lawn and house at summer but he seemed to decide against it when Lupin discreetly flicked his wand with a very weak banishment charm which pushed him back when he made to take a step forwards.

Once they got back to Privet Drive, Harry was mostly ignored and not even asked to do his chores. This was a welcome change and he spent most of the day walking around in the neighborhood and the nights studying for the O.W.L's. They had tried to stop him when he tried leaving for the first time but it was only a halfhearted attempt from Aunt Petunia who didn't pester him anymore after receiving a glare in response. This was probably because of the knowledge that 1 week from then, more of the freaks would be arriving and she didn't want to give any reason to them to do anything other than to take Harry and leave.

To say the neighbors that saw him were surprised was an understatement. He may not have noticed it yet, but he was someone that stood out to anyone easily now and got more than a few appreciative glances from all around that left Dudley seething in anger. When he had been trying to chat up a pretty girl who lived opposite no.4, she spotted Harry coming out of the house one evening, went wide eyed and exclaimed "Is _that _your cousin?!". Gone was the scrawny little boy that could get lost in the crowds. He would never for the life of him realize it, but he had become a heartbreaker that made even Sirius proud although he didn't follow him in his footsteps.

It no longer seemed to matter to anyone that he was from St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys. Indeed, people started questioning how a polite young man like him could be someone that attended a center for criminals. The neighborhood gossip mill was almost as good as the one in Hogwarts and he didn't know when or how, but it seemed everyone now thought he was just a very distant relative who attended a boarding school far away.

He started getting his nightmares again which was seemingly inevitable. He was only forced to endure them for a few minutes before his dreams were once interrupted by the white tree and the ever staring figure. Now though, things had changed drastically.

He had spent most of the night studying for the exams, fighting to stay awake so that he wouldn't have to face the nightmare. On the exams side, he felt confident he could do this after revising just a few more times, something which he kept telling himself despite the fact that he knew that there was nothing more he could do. The books were more like a distraction.

Usually time flew by or slowed to a drag whenever he had his nose buried in a book. But his sense of time was well and truly damaged. He honestly felt like he was traveling back and forth in time. The past 6 days were too long. It felt like he had spent months over the span of those few days and it was all because of his 'old friend.' His 'old friend' who finally revealed himself to him and gave him a whole new mess of trouble, filling his head with things that he made him unsure of who he was.

* * *

-Day 1, Death's realm-

Harry was as always, once again entranced by the tree in front of him. There were a few differences that he had recently started noticing though. The branches, or the tips of the branches which were once gleaming pure white were now darkened…almost grey in color. It looked like some kind of a disease. He had started noticing it some time ago but now it was becoming more pronounced. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before the entire tree would be replaced by that color.

The thought puzzled him. In a way, he was curious to see what would happen once the new color hit the roots. He felt connected to the tree somehow and knew that whatever affected this tree, affected him in turn. He didn't know how he felt about it though, half of him was anticipating what would happen once the color spread and another half of him was screaming at him to do something to stop this from happening. These two thoughts always circled his mind, with the first thought dominating the other. He felt the urge…the _need_ to see this happen. To find out what will change.

"You're back." A voice rasped. It was a statement and Harry had to control himself from rolling his eyes. It wasn't like he could control it and it seemed like a private joke between them.

"Yes." He replied. Then he turned, fixing the cloaked figure with a hard look. The memory of their last meeting during the awarding ceremony was still fresh on his mind. "What did you do to me that day?" He asked mildly.

"You will find out soon enough." Harry frowned. Deciding to try a different tactic he moved closer to the figure. It watched him as he drew closer until finally he was standing right in front of it. It didn't have a face, yet it seemed familiar and he needed to know why.

"Who are you?" It chuckled, an odd sound he decided.

"Death." It said simply. Harry felt a small grin spread across his face. Oddly enough he felt like his suspicions had been correct. Nothing more was needed to be said as he turned back. Things were getting interesting.

* * *

And things did get interesting. He started getting memories, memories which gave him glimpses into a life that he knew, yet wasn't his at the same time.

* * *

"Ignotus" A pleasant, melodious voice trilled and he smiled before opening his eyes and looking beside him. There, lying on the bed beside him was one of the most beautiful women in the world he had seen. Long flowing silver hair, startlingly blue eyes and strangely enough, pointed ears although it did nothing to diminish her beauty.

"Hey." He murmured, leaning over to kiss her cheek. She smiled a bit, although it was replaced almost immediately by a worried look.

"I heard about Cadmus…" She whispered. "Why did you hide it from me?" He grimaced and stared back up at the ceiling.

"I had trouble believing it myself." He voice cracked and she embraced him, holding him as he took shuddering breaths trying to calm himself. He was the last remaining member of his family now and despite the fact that he knew he had everything he wanted from the woman beside him, the loneliness was sometimes too much. The three of them had been very close and one by one, they were taken away from him. "He was a fool…we were all fools. We shouldn't have done what we did."

She didn't say anything but tightened her hold on him. He felt guilty, he knew she was worried at the thought of him being taken away just like his brothers were. "I will not make the same mistakes Cadmus and Antioch did." He said firmly.

"See that you don't." She said in a muffled voice, then without warning she rolled away from him and got to her feet. "If you're not down in a few minutes…" She left the threat hanging and he chuckled. She always knew how to cheer him up. She smiled softly at him before leaving him alone as she went downstairs.

He sighed and got to his feet, walking towards the cursed cloak that he made to cheat Death himself. It had, along with the other objects brought more grief to him over the past year than all his past years and that said a lot. Taking the cloak he let the watery material run through his hands. His vision slowly lost all color as he regarded the cloak which was now a dark black instead of colorless. First his inheritance…now this. Was he never going to have a peaceful life with his wife?

* * *

Harry could make neither head nor tail of what he kept seeing. Whenever he dozed off to sleep, be it for just 5 minutes, more memories surfaced. He still couldn't remember much though, apart from the very first memory. It felt like he was spending more time in his memories than what he was spending in reality.

Ignotus…somehow Ignotus sounded so familiar to him. Ignotus's wife too seemed familiar, silver hair, blue eyes…while she was nothing like Fleur she did bear some resemblance to her and to top it all off, he felt like he knew her. A lot more than he was willing to admit with the way she reminded him achingly of Fleur. At times he felt like he was losing himself to this person. Once, he actually panicked when he woke, wondering where on Earth he was when he woke up to the darkened room when only moments ago he had been in his house, enjoying a quiet moment with his wife. It was only when he caught sight of the photograph of Fleur that he calmed down, remembering who he was.

Shaking himself out of his reverie he looked down to find Leah fast asleep and next to him the other two were no better either. Sighing he leaned closer to them and snapped his fingers loudly right next to Matt's ear and suppressed a laugh when he jerked awake with a panicked look. Growling when he saw that it was only Harry he gazed at his watch and gasped, shaking Linda awake too.

"What time is it?" Harry asked curiously.

"It's almost five! We need to start heading back." Slowly he started prodding Linda awake which took almost 5 minutes with the way she just closed her eyes immediately after Matt had been successful in opening them. Finally she was fully awake, something that was only made possible when Matt shoved his watch right in front of her face.

"Leah?" She murmured gently, trying to waken the little girl. She sighed and turned her face away making Harry smile at the sight. It was pleasant just having her in his arms and she reminded him of Gabrielle who was almost as clingy to him as her. Since they had to be going now he gently lifted her up and handed her to Linda.

"You're not coming?" Matt asked when he didn't get up. Harry shrugged and leaned back against the tree.

"I'll stay a while longer."

"We won't be there tomorrow will we?" Linda asked suddenly.

"Oh right…it just had to be tomorrow…" Matt grumbled. "You'll be gone before the afternoon right? We won't be there during the morning."

"I think so…maybe…" Harry muttered glumly. He was still unsure of whether or not he would be going. With the lack of contact with Fleur he couldn't help but feel afraid that they wouldn't be coming to take him. Linda rolled her eyes.

"Don't be an idiot. Hopefully you'll still be here when we get back. If not…"

"I'll write. But my methods of posting will be a little…strange." He said with a grin. She looked confused but nodded all the same and pulled him up and into a hug after giving Leah to Matt.

"Glad to have met you Harry." She said warmly. Harry nodded and was immediately brought into a manly hug by Matt.

"You're alright. A little weird but alright." He said playfully. Harry rolled his eyes and Linda smirked.

"Just because he doesn't like the stuff you do doesn't make him weird. I'd say he's normal." Harry had to control himself to not burst out in laughter. They had no idea just how far from normal he was.

"Whatever, hope we'll see you again next summer…if not tomorrow." Matt said cheerfully.

"Sure." Harry smiled. "And make sure you two stay away from Dudley and his gang. They're not the most pleasant sort." He snorted.

"Please…that whale of a cousin of yours and his gay harem? First time I saw him I had trouble believing you were related even distantly to him. And besides, let's not forget he tried to hit on Linda here." Linda grimaced and this time Harry couldn't hold in his laughter. The memory of the incident ranked as one of the best on his mind.

It happened on the same day he'd met the couple and Leah. Harry had just been taking a stroll down the park when Leah had run into him rather hard and fallen backwards. She had started to cry and he being worried had done his best to comfort the little girl. In the meantime Matt and Linda had come up and after quickly asking what happened they were extremely grateful for what he'd done and after a while Harry found himself making friends with the young couple.

They had just left Linda and Leah alone while Matt dragged him into a store that sold video games saying that he needed a fellow gamer with him. The look on his face had been priceless when Harry revealed he doesn't play anything and had zero interest in it. When the two had finally left the store they found Dudley, Piers and two of his other thugs cornering Linda and Leah who was hanging off her hand while looking at the boys in fear. From the distressed look on Linda's face and the perverse grin on the boy's faces both Harry and Matt knew what was going on.

Matt just strode straight up to Dudley, tapped him on his shoulder and punched straight at his jaw as soon as he'd turned around. For all of the boasting Dudley had been doing every waking minute about boxing, it was funny how he was immediately knocked out. Harry sighed and got in to help out as the other three were enraged at seeing their leader taken out. It was surprisingly quick and in less than a minute all three boys were lying unconscious on the ground next to Dudley. Harry mentally thanked Sirius for teaching him how to hold his own without a wand. Matt was a different story entirely, he was extremely protective of Linda and he didn't seem like the type of person Harry would want to pick a fight with without a wand.

Harry waved at the three and watched them go. If he wasn't so focused on going to France to be with Fleur, he actually would have preferred to remain in Privet Drive for the whole summer. Being around the young couple and Leah was entertaining and he had no doubt he'd found two…no three good friends in them.

He smiled as he thought of how they would react if they got mail from Hedwig. It would definitely be better than how the Dursleys would react. Or at least he hoped it would be…even though Hedwig was in his opinion, the best owl in the world, she had a huge ego and an insufferable amount of pride. Hurting any of the two meant less pleasant consequences. Harry found that out the hard way when he forgot to visit her for a month since he'd started being more closer to Fleur. He knew it was crazy, but he had a feeling the owl knew what was going on and was furious with him for it.

After waiting about hour more he finally got up and with a sigh started heading back to the Dursleys. It wasn't really all that bad this time, they acted as if he didn't exist…at least Vernon and Petunia did. Try as he might, Dudley was unable to ignore him. The main thing that was troubling him now was that he was jealous of the person who he thought of as a freak for 14 years. Throughout the whole week he had been taking multiple blows to his pride. Not like he had any to begin with on the social front, even without Harry any girl went out of their ways to avoid him by focusing excessively on the next boy on the street. Or even in some rare cases, other girls. Even Malfoy could land a girl faster than him.

"Boy!" Vernon called out as soon as he entered the house. With a grimace he went to the living room where Petunia and Dudley were watching TV while Vernon's attention focused solely on him as soon as he entered.

"Yes?" He asked coldly. He had long since stopped calling them 'Aunt Petunia' or 'Uncle Vernon'. There was no way he was going to acknowledge any of them as part of his family. As far as his mother goes, she could not have been born with the same genetics that created the eyesore of a woman known as Petunia Dursley.

"If those freaks that are coming to take you come the same way as last time, there's going to be trouble." Harry smirked.

"I'd love to see you try." Vernon's eyes narrowed and in a flash of inspiration he added, "If you think a gun can threaten any of us...by all means, try. I will enjoy the show." Petunia gasped and Vernon looked like he'd been slapped in the face. Even Dudley was staring open mouthed at him. He had hardly spoken to any of them since he'd gotten back and it was obvious to them that he was not the same boy that they had known, or thought they knew just about an year ago.

"You can't threaten us with the freak stuff you do! You will be expelled from that freak place." Harry kept his face blank and stretched out his left hand, holding his palm out to Vernon. Slowly, the tips of his fingers started glowing green until they were dancing embers of emerald green fire, lit on the tips of his fingers. Clenching his fist again he extinguished the miniature flames and suppressed a smile at the looks of fear on the faces before him.

"As you probably have noticed with the lack of a letter, I no longer have that problem. So again, please feel free to use whatever means you have to…what was it?" He tilted his head. "Cause trouble?" Vernon looked like he was caught between a rock and a hard place and Petunia had her arms wrapped protectively around her Diddykins. All three of them were not looking at him with disgust or hatred, it was fear. This was a little disturbing to him but he dismissed it. Before the letter from Hogwarts came he was forced to endure what no child should have gone through.

Deciding to skip dinner he turned away from the frozen Dursleys. Stopping near the cupboard under the stairs he raised his voice so they could all hear. "I don't know when if any people will come tomorrow. They might turn up…might not. They won't be arriving like the way the others did last time either so you have nothing to worry about. Just keep quiet and no one will feel the need to do anything to any of you. And if I don't leave tomorrow just stay out of my way for another few days and I'll be out of here." Hearing nothing in reply he nodded in satisfaction and started up the stairs to his room.

A small smirk appeared on his face when he sat down on his bed. It was almost too easy to scare them. He couldn't perform any spells further than utility without a wand. So far he could only manage a select few spells ranging from his 1st to 3rd year and even that was difficult to pull off.

He was given a few books on wandless magic by Lupin who seemed to think he had a talent for it. Even the books offered very little instruction seeing as throughout history, there have only been only 1 in every thousand witches or wizards that could channel their magic wandlessly. Every witch or wizards is able to channel their magic without a wand at their childhood. Although, once they reach the age of 11, the first stage in magical maturity, they inexplicably lose that ability. Or more specifically, the ability itself is greatly diminished.

From what information he gleaned from a book, any being that had a certain type of magical core in their core had the means of channeling magic from any point of their body, meaning that even after the first stage of magical maturity, they retain that ability, being able to channel any amount of magic they fit without needing a magical focus point. The rarity of the core in question meant that little to almost nothing was known about it. This bit of information had him groaning mentally as it meant this was another thing that set him apart from normal witches and wizards…he had finally begun to accept from that point that no matter how hard he tried, he was just going to be different from everyone else.

Back to the matter at hand, even the few that were blessed with that type of core don't have much proficiency at it seeing as there is no one who can instruct them on how to go further in the art of wandless magic. As with any type of rare and/or possibly powerful magical ability it was rumored that Merlin and Morgan Le Fay were so well versed in it, that they didn't even need a staff or wand to channel their magic.

A few books did mention why it was so difficult to channel magic without an item of sorts reinforced with magical cores. With a wand, staff or any other item a witch or wizard might use, it's much easier to produce magic since you're focusing on producing magic _through_ it whether consciously or not. Trying that without a wand is much more difficult because the area to channel it through is much larger and therefore, difficult to focus the energy.

He found that channeling magic to the finger is much easier than the rest, as per his trick with _Incendio_ he used just a few minutes ago to scare the Dursleys. But that was it, the amount of magic one can channel to a finger is very limited as opposed to how much you can channel to a palm or even out of your whole body. As the book stated, if there was any witch or wizard who was able to channel magic out of any point of their body, that would make him or her one of the most powerful witches or wizards of their times.

This had however, made him a little reluctant to practice it over the past few days. The memories of the times when he had almost drained his core by mistake were still fresh on his mind so he didn't dare advance further than the few basic spells he knew to do already. It wasn't like he had a choice. It took quite a while to learn to cast an _Incendio _wandlessly and it wasn't even as powerful as the one he could produce with his wand.

Glancing at the clock on the wall he was surprised to see it was already 11pm. The lights were out from the entire neighborhood. With a sigh he crept out of the room (the Dursleys had stopped locking his room ever since they knew about his mass murdering godfather) and went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and changed into more comfortable clothes to sleep in. Returning to bed he spent over an hour wondering…hoping that tomorrow would be what he was hoping for. Turning to the picture of Fleur who was gazing at him with a small smile he smiled back and finally drifted off to sleep with a single thought running in his mind, _I need to see you again_.

His dreams took him back to Ignotus and his wife although he would remember nothing in the morning.

* * *

Harry woke up early in the morning and quickly flipped on the lights as it was still dark out. It was still only 5 in the morning. He was too excited of the prospect of seeing Fleur again to go back to sleep. Rolling off the bed he moved to start packing his things but after throwing in a few articles of clothing, stopped. He still had a small part at the back of his mind that kept thinking that they wouldn't come today. If he was packed and ready to go and they didn't turn up…the disappointment would be too much. He hated to admit it, but he would do anything to avoid additional emotional pain.

With a sigh he took out the few things he packed and after spending a few restless hours in bed until the sun fully rose he got up and ambled around the house listlessly until the Dursleys woke up and wishing to avoid running into any of them he was forced to go back to his room.

He was able to calm himself down and distract himself from watching the clock by reading a few books again, this was the way he spent most of the morning. Breakfast was forgotten and he was on his way to forgetting about lunch. It was Sunday which meant that all three Dursleys were at home.

He had just come down when there was a tentative knock on the door and he froze. Vernon came charging out of the living room dressed once again in his best clothes just like he had when the Weasleys arrived. Wrenching the door open what Harry saw made his shoulders sag visibly. It was only one of Vernon's friends. Turning around he went back upstairs, but not before chancing a glimpse into the living room where he saw that even Petunia and Dudley were dressed in clothes they usually used when they went out for dinners. Fighting the urge to laugh when he saw that Dudley was actually wearing a blazer he plopped back down on his bed. Sometimes the Dursley's stupidity shocked him.

He suffered constant disappointments today one after the other and wondered more than once if someone up there had a grudge against him. Today was a hotbed of activity for no.4 Privet Drive as more and more random people kept showing up, all of who were friends of Vernons or even some friends of Dudley's. The loud laughter confirmed his suspicions that they were poking fun of Dudley about why he was wearing an outfit like that while inside his own home. Even time was working against him again, it crept along at a slower pace than a snail.

By 3 in the afternoon, he was beginning to lose hope. By 4 he was hanging on by a few small threads and by 5 he had given up completely. He took a shower and threw on a shirt and a pair of jeans and started downstairs listlessly, tugging at a few locks of his shoulder length hair.

"Boy! When the hell are your freaks going to come?!" Vernon called loudly from the living room.

"They won't be coming." He muttered. "I'll be gone tomorrow anyway…" He had made up his mind. Since it was anyway deemed ok to leave the Dursleys he was going to catch the Knight bus tomorrow morning and spend the remainder of his summer at the Leaky Cauldron and send a letter to Dumbledore about the exams. To Fleur…he didn't know what to do.

Wanting to get away from the house and hopefully meet Matt and Linda he walked up to the front door and opened it. Looking up he froze as his eyes fell on two bright blue orbs, the same eyes that had haunted parts of his dreams. The same eyes he had been yearning to see. She was standing right in front of him, her hand half raised as if to knock on the door, silvery white waist long hair swaying slightly in the wind.

Her lip trembled slightly and within the next second she was hugging him tightly, his vision completely obscured by her hair. At first he hardly dared to believe it, but when he saw Dominique and Sirius standing a few feet behind them grinning at the pair, his eyes widened when he realized what was happening was real. Returning the hug he buried his face in her hair as he had done so many times and breathed in her scent, unable to stop the wide smile that was spreading across his face.

She pulled back slightly and without warning he found her lips on his, it was demanding, needy and filled with raw emotion and he was only too happy to return it. He wasn't even aware that her father was outside and that the few neighbors outside were able to see clearly what was going on at the front door which was wide open. She fisted his shirt and pulled him as close as humanly possible and both of them ignored the small coughs coming from the direction of Dominique and Sirius.

"Boy! What th…" He heard Vernon's voice from behind which went extremely quiet as he observed what was going on before him. Unfortunately his outburst brought Dudley and Petunia to the small hallway. After what felt like hours, Fleur pulled away with one brief, final tug on his bottom lip. Her eyes were glistening, lips swollen slightly and more redder than he'd ever remembered and her cheeks were bright red. Judging by the burning sensation on his own lips and cheeks he knew he wasn't too far off either. The feel of her hand in his again made him feel like he had regained a part that had been missing for a while.

Harry couldn't break his gaze away from her just as she couldn't stop looking at him. After a long moment of silence Sirius coughed again.

"Harry…maybe we could get going?" He tore his eyes away from Fleur to look at his godfather and Dominique who seemed to be extremely interested with a bush at the side.

"Er…yeah…just give me a second." He made to let go of her hand to go upstairs but her grip was too tight. Looking at her for a moment he smiled softly and pulled her with him upstairs. Catching sight of Dudley he was both angry and amused to see that his eyes were fixed on Fleur, his mouth open, drooling visibly. It was disgusting.

As soon as they entered the room he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. The room was messy. His clothes strewn carelessly about the place.

"I just need to get this stuff packed." He said quickly. Before he could move again Fleur raised her wand and with a wave all his books, clothes and possessions arranged themselves neatly in his trunk. She even shrunk his Firebolt so that it could fit in the trunk. Smiling his thanks at her he moved to Hedwig's cage and prodded her awake.

"I'll be going to Fleur's place alright? Will you come with me or do you want to fly there?" The owl hooted excitedly and flew to his shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately. Then with another hoot he nodded and she took off, flying out of the window. Fleur, with another wave of her wand, cleaned and shrunk Hedwig's cage and put it inside the trunk too.

Acutely aware they were alone again he turned back to her who was watching the picture of herself at the bedside table, the only item she hadn't packed yet.

"I'm sorry 'Arry." She said quietly, turning back to him and he was startled to find that her eyes were watery again.

"For what?" He asked gently, moving closer to her.

"I tried…I wanted to write to you, I wanted to see 'ow you were doing living wiz zese muggles. But I didn't want to find out zat you were being mistreated. Zey wouldn't let me come before today and I didn't want to stand by and watch 'elplessly." He slowly drew her into a hug, cursing himself for being a fool for thinking she had forgotten about him. "I wanted to see you…" Her voice muffled as her head was buried in his chest. "I didn't want to see letters. I wanted to see you." Then she looked up. "And don't try to lie, I know zat you were worried zat I 'ad forgotten about you."

He grinned at her and she grudgingly returned the smile, god how he had missed her. "Guilty as charged."

"You…"

"It won't happen again. Ever." He said firmly. She nodded and pressed her lips against his again, this time more tenderly. They broke apart fairly quickly since they were pressed for time. Judging by the loud honks he knew that they had come in a car and knowing Sirius, it was probably him in the driver's seat. Leave it to him to grab the attention of the whole neighborhood.

He picked up the picture of her which was now smiling brilliantly at him and placed it carefully in his trunk while Fleur watched. When he was done he nodded at her and she waved her wand again, shutting it and after a flick, he was able to lift it without effort seeing as it was as light as a feather. Once downstairs he found Dominique standing inside the hallway who grinned as soon as he saw the pair coming downstairs. Taking the trunk from Harry and dragging it along the ground to fool the muggles outside he left. Fleur was hanging tightly onto his hand again and he at the doorstep he turned to the Dursleys to say goodbye when Dudey suddenly blurted out, still with the same glazed look, "Go out with me!"

Harry's rolled his eyes and Fleur laughed. Leaning against Harry she looked at Dudley. "I belong to 'Arry. And under no circumstances will I ever come near someone like you."

"See you around." He said quickly to the Dursleys, fighting to keep a straight face as he saw the hurt look pass on Dudley's face. It was disgusting that Vernon was eyeing Fleur hungrily too and it was taking all his self-control to not curse him to oblivion. Only Petunia seemed to be capable of conscious thought and she looked torn between anger and fear of the girl next to Harry. Oddly enough they were showing a lot more self-restraint than usual which made Harry suspicious if either Dominique or Sirius had cast a some charms on them. He was sure at least she would have blown a top by now, seeing their precious Diddykins getting rejected like that.

Outside he saw the car that was waiting for them. He had no idea about cars but this one was the sort that was being advertised constantly on muggle television, it was more of the luxurious types of cars. He caught sight of two people he recognized standing next to the car and grinned, pulling Fleur with him who was puzzled why he was bringing her with him towards two muggles.

"Matt, Linda…I want you two to meet Fleur. Fleur…Matt, Linda...they're good friends of mine." Matt who was momentarily stunned by the silver haired woman's beauty pulled himself back together again fairly quickly, an impressive feat to say the least, smiled and shook her hand. Linda imitated him.

"It's good to finally meet you…he has been talking about you a lot over the past few days."

"'E 'as?" She asked, playfully pinching his arm making him grimace. Linda's eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Yup, he's cute when he's brooding over something. Seemed to think you weren't coming." She said, ignoring the protesting look Harry was giving her and Fleur grinned evilly.

"I will sort 'im out." She said firmly and Harry felt a chill run down his spine.

"You guys need to get going now?" Matt asked, gazing at the car. "No time to hang out?"

"No…sorry." Harry said apologetically. "We don't have much time."

"All right then, see you next summer?" He asked.

"Sure." Harry grinned and took his offered hand as he pulled him into a manly hug. After saying his goodbyes to Linda they got into the car where in front was Sirius and Dominique. Without a word Sirius floored it and the car zoomed out of Privet Drive.

"Hey…Sirius…did you do anything to the Dursleys?" He asked tentatively after watching the scenery rush past him in the window. Fleur was sitting next to him with her head on his shoulder, their hands intertwined.

"Who?...Me?!" Sirius asked in a mock hurt voice.

"Did you?" Harry asked again as Fleur giggled.

"No. I'm not lying!" He added when he saw Harry roll his eyes from the rearview mirror.

"It's just that they looked like they were struck dumb. I thought they would have done something. From what I could tell last night, Vernon was getting ready to cause trouble for everyone."

Dominique said from the front. "He asked me if I was a member of the French government. I _am _a little deep inside the muggle government too." He grinned, "He might have seen me on muggle television sometime so…"

"Oh…" It was making sense now. If there was one thing that scared the wits out of Vernon it was crossing anyone from any government. They lapsed into silence again while Sirius and Dominique conversed quietly at the front. Harry was quite content with having Fleur by his side and from the way she was snuggled up at his side, he knew she was enjoying it too. After about half an hour he asked another thing that was nagging him.

"Where are we going?"

"France." Sirius replied cheekily as Dominique chuckled.

"No…really?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"We're going to take a portkey Harry." Dominique answered. "Can't make one without authorization from the Ministry of Magic here and something tells me the less people that know you're not in England the better. We're going to a rather secluded location to find the portkey we've set up. I've already sent your trunk to our house though."

"Thanks." Harry said gratefully. For the remainder of their journey which took a surprisingly longer amount of time than he was used to on a car, about 2 hours exactly, he decided that one of the things he would do once everything was over would be to get a car like this. He could understand Sirius's fascination with muggle bikes and cars. There was just something about them that brooms could never give.

Fleur started listing excitedly all the places she wanted to go with him which left him mentally groaning at the sheer size of the list while Dominique and Sirius smirked at his expense. The only reason he was groaning was because she listed shops in between and he had heard enough horror stories of girls and clothes shops to know what to expect to some degree. While he wasn't at all opposed to seeing Fleur model clothes, he knew he was going to be a dress up doll for her too. At least he stopped Sirius from grinning when he asked her if Sirius could come sometime since he could use some new clothes too.

From what he could gather, In France, he wasn't as famous in the magical community as he was in Britain. This was something he prayed with all his might was true. He longed to be able to walk anywhere he pleased where no one would stare at him or want to meet him. This also meant he could go anywhere he wanted, to both the magical and the muggle part of Paris (Fleur's home is in a smaller town near Paris).

To his pleasant surprise, Fleur wanted to spend as much time as possible in the muggle part of France rather than the magical one. This reduced the chances of him being recognized a lot more and he quite liked the thought of being detached from the magical community for a while. He was also quite curious about the points of interest in Paris that Fleur was describing so excitedly such as the Eiffel Tower and so on. She kept forgetting and slipping into French from time to time in her excitement that had Dominique chuckling every time it happened along with Harry. He loved it, those quirks were what made her and he didn't want her to change. Ever.

He had a small surprise for her too on the French part, he had been learning French little by little ever since the day he had surprised Fleur and the others one morning with one sentence he had learned from Basile. After the third task, in between his revising for the O. he had put more time into it for the sole purpose of not letting his head have any rest in order to prevent memories of the graveyard and the night his parents died from surfacing. While he couldn't speak it fluently yet or without a horrible accent, he had been improving. He also found that he rather liked learning new languages so that helped him quite a bit as well in his endeavor.

They finally reached their destination which turned out to be a deserted hillside. They all got out and Dominique placed a small glowing blue object on the car which immediately disappeared. Then, the four of them trudged up the hill, enjoying the view and the cool wind. The skies were dark grey but Harry loved it. Apart from when he wants to play Quidditch, he disliked blue, cloudless skies. It was just…unnatural.

The portkey turned out to be an old tin can. They all gathered around it, Harry somewhat reluctantly. He was notoriously bad with all forms of magical travel. As soon as Dominique said "Now!" they grabbed hold of it and he felt the now familiar sensation of being pulled by his navel. After what felt longer than usual his feet slammed onto the ground and immediately toppled over while Fleur was trying hard not to laugh at him. Blushing when he saw that even she had managed to remain upright he pushed himself off the floor trying and failing to look angry at her.

"Not very good with ze portkey Meester Potter?" A man asked, smiling genially and striding up with his hand outstretched.

"Err It's Harry sir." He said shyly, shaking the man's hand. It was then that he noticed they were standing in a large hall, almost as large as the Great Hall back in Hogwarts. It was filled with people appearing out of seemingly nowhere with random objects in there hands and he could hear the general murmur of those around him although it was difficult to understand as it was all French.

"In zat case you may call me Jaque…Head of ze Department of Magical Travel of ze French Ministry at your service." He returned easily. Turning to Dominique he addressed him in French to which he smiled and nodded in thanks. "Ze floo network iz ready for your next destination, for now I must bid you farewell, but I zink I will meet you again later."

"Thank you." Harry said gratefully and the man nodded with a smile and left, disappearing through the crowd. Dominique then took lead and Sirius beckoned Harry to follow.

"Where are we?" He asked, looking at Fleur who was walking next to him. He had a suspicion where they were but he still had trouble believing it seeing as Sirius was walking around in the open seemingly without a care in the world.

"The French Ministry of Magic of course!" It was Sirius who answered cheerfully.

"Is it alright for you to be…you know…you?" He asked tentatively.

"Nope. All thanks to Dominique here…I'm protected by the law here." Harry's jaw dropped and Fleur smirked at the sight.

"How?" He asked weakly.

"It's quite simple really. I am a citizen here." Sirius waggled his eyebrows but Harry continued to frown. He still had a lot to understand on diplomatic matters, something that Sirius vowed then to teach Harry as soon as possible and launched into an explanation. "In England I was sent to Azkaban without a trial. I didn't even have my rights or I could have easily avoided going to that infernal hell hole. Over here I'm safe. Dominique has vouched for me and I am 'innocent until proven guilty'. It also helps that France and Britain don't exactly see eye to eye, Fudge is seen as a joke around here too."

"So as long as you stay here you can't be captured and taken away?"

"Yeah." Sirius answered with a grin.

"That's brilliant! Stop going back then."

"And leave you with that dark tosser? No. The fighting is over there, I want to be there." Harry knew from the firm tone in his voice that it was useless to argue. As they were walking along he spotted two more silver haired witches that, from the way there were a few wizards gazing at them hungrily, were most definitely Veela. As Dominique took them down another hallway, this one filled with paper airplanes flying everywhere that seemed to be memos going to different rooms he asked another question that had been nagging him. "Why won't France and Britain see eye to eye."

"Number of reasons." Dominique said from the front. "We disagree with many methods the English use, their inactivity, incompetence, (thinking of Fudge he grinned), mostly though it's because of the campaigns they carry against non-humans." He felt Fleur's hand which was laced in his stiffen slightly. He squeezed it reassuringly making her smile and they continued walking in silence. He had no idea just how bad the English ministry of magic was.

Sirius who had been frowning for a while suddenly spoke. "You know…Dumbledore probably wouldn't like this. But what if you became a citizen of France? With the way things are shaping up in England it doesn't look like a bad choice at all." Fleur looked up and he saw there was a trace of hope in her eyes as she gazed at him.

"I'd like that yeah." He replied immediately thinking about his new found disgust over Britain. He had a feeling it would do him a lot of good to sever ties if possible from England and besides, this seemed to be something that made Fleur happy for some reason. "What do I have to do?"

"You have to marry Fleur. This summer." Harry and Fleur both froze in place while Sirius and Dominique kept walking until they stopped a few feet in front when they realized they weren't being followed. Harry was struggling to get his voice working.

"Wha…what? Wait…I have to ma…no I'm still…I mean…not that I wouldn't like that but…No! I mean…I'm still…" His eyes narrowed when he saw the huge grin forming on Sirius's face and even the usually composed Dominique had an identical one. Slowly realizing what he'd just said he found himself unable to look at Fleur and instead growled, glaring at Sirius who he could have sworn flinched slightly before perking up again.

"Well that's good to know but there's no need to rush things right? So easy there tiger." Harry looked positively murderous and Sirius's eyes widened when he saw the tell-tale sparks forming around his godson's hands and a hint of grey in his eyes. "I was only joking!" He added in a rather small voice.

"If we were anywhere other than here..." Harry whispered venomously. Dominique took the chance to step in and dragged Sirius, moving him out of Harry line of sight and retreated further in leaving Harry and Fleur alone. An extremely embarrassed Harry halfheartedly started forward but was held back when he felt her arms wrap around him from behind and her breath on his ear.

"Good response." She whispered sending delightful shivers running down his spine. He felt his cheeks redden when she planted a kiss on his cheek before pulling him with her after her father and Sirius, hiding her smile from him. He'd never know just how much his slip up had made her happy.

They finally reached their destination which turned out to be another magical transportation chamber although this time he recognized the fireplaces and felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He _hated _magical travel and this one was by far the worst.

Still, it was a sight to behold as the fireplaces kept roaring in green flames almost every 3 seconds as someone used it. It was just like the train stations in the muggle world, harassed looking people intent on getting to their destination were hurrying about around the room. Harry noticed again the slight difference in laws in the French ministry as he could see that the so called non humans had mixed well with the normal wizarding community. He caught sight of gleaming fangs on a man who was talking with someone else.

A group of 4 Veela suddenly appeared from the fireplace on their right as they walked past it making Sirius's eyes glaze over and immediately turn towards them. He wasn't alone as many of the wizards around them had similar reactions. Fleur's grip tightened on his hand for some reason but Harry didn't feel anything at all, the only thing he could feel was the pull from Fleur and it was something he had long since accepted. The Veela looked irritated at the crowd that gathered up and Dominique, who was the only one unaffected apart from Harry in the vicinity, tried valiantly to pull Sirius away but was unsuccessful.

As much as Harry wanted to see his godfather humiliated for what he did to him earlier, he strode up to him and knocked on his head hard with his knuckles snapping him out of his daze and turn away immediately in shame. One of the Veela who saw this giggled and mouthed her thanks to him which he understood with his limited knowledge of French.

The fireplace they were supposed to take was only a few feet away apparently and they soon came up to it. Once the crowd around it dispersed Dominique took the small container lying next to it which was filled with floo powder and offered it to Harry.

"Guests first…just say, 'Maison Delacour'." Harry stared at it for a few seconds before dipping his hand into it, taking a handful of the powder. Taking a deep breath he moved into the fireplace and before his nerves failed him he uttered clearly "Maison Delacour!" and dropped the powder at his feet as the green flames roared to life around him. The next second he was engulfed by a sickening sensation as he was spinning fast and struggling to keep his eyes open as different fireplaces flew past him. It was barely a few seconds before he was wishing it would stop when quite suddenly, it did and he slowly became aware that he was lying on his back on something soft.

He barely had enough time to fix his glasses which were lying crooked on his face when there was an emerald flash and someone came tumbling out of the fireplace and fell right on top of him. From the flowery scent and the trace of silver he immediately recognized her and with a grin put his arms around her preventing her from getting up.

"You're bad at this too." He murmured softly in her ear.

"Seems so." She whispered back with a small smile playing on her lips. "And I zink you 'aven't seen my muzzer standing be'ind you." Quickly letting go of her he got to his feet to the sound of laughter behind him and sure enough, there was Apolline Delacour watching them with mirth dancing in her eyes.

"Umm…hi Mrs. Delacour I…" She closed the distance between them and pulled him into a warm hug sparing him from further embarrassment.

"Welcome to our 'ome 'Arry." She said brightly. "I 'ave made a room for you…Fleur will show you to it soon."

"Thanks." Harry said shyly. Something else shot out from near her legs and slammed into Harry, hugging him tightly and knocking the wind out of him.

"Hey Gabrielle." He said softly, smiling at the miniature version of Fleur. The small Veela smiled brilliantly at him before letting go. Another emerald flash and Sirius appeared, lying sprawled on his back on the rug in front of the fireplace.

"Very eloquent Meester Black." Apolline said with a smirk as he got to his feet dusting himself off and muttering curse words under his breath.

"Bloody thing, never could stand travelling like this." He grumbled, then his face broke into a charming smile and strode up to Apolline. "Of course it's worth it being able to see your fair face again my lady." Harry covered his face with his palm and half wished Dominique was here to see this while Fleur laughed beside him. This didn't seem to be the first time his godfather had done this.

"Flattery will get you nowhere. I am _not _introducing you to my friends yet." Sirius's face fell.

"But why? You know me well enough." He whined. Apolline winked at Harry.

"Oui, zat's why I won't. Reach your godson's level of maturity and I'll see what I can do." Sirius pointed an accusing finger at Harry.

"He's Lily! You're asking to do something impossible!" Harry couldn't stop smiling while Sirius continued to whine and another flash later Dominique appeared behind them. He wasn't any luckier than Sirius and Harry sent a prayer of thanks that at least with floo powder, nobody had an inhuman capability of remaining upright on their feet. Getting to his feet he eyed Sirius warily who still hadn't stopped whining.

"Same thing again?" He asked looking at Fleur and Apolline who nodded with large grins on their faces. Seemingly noticing Dominique only now Sirius walked with his shoulders slumped towards him.

"Your wife's mean." He said in an undertone and Apolline rolled her eyes before walking away while Fleur started pulling him after her.

The Delacour home was large. Two floors and outside all he could see were trees making him feel like they were in the countryside although Fleur said they were really close to the town. He spotted two house elves who bowed low when they saw him.

Fleur took him upstairs where she showed him to his room. It had a large bed, desk and chair on the side, a fireplace directly in front of the bed and out of the window he had a rather nice view of a river and further away, the town which he recognized by the clock tower which stood out in the horizon. The sky was dark and there was a pleasant breeze blowing and he took a moment to just enjoy the view.

"Thank you for getting me here." He said softly as Fleur joined him, leaning against him with a smile as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I 'ope you aren't planning on studying all summer." She said after a while.

"No…well, just a little…but I'm all set." He said with a grin.

"Confident are we?" She asked playfully. He shrugged and moved to put both his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck making her giggle. He wanted to keep her close to him for now, he just remembered again that after the summer was over he'd be going back to Hogwarts and this time they were going to be separated for months. He didn't want to even think about how he was going to deal with that.

"Just a little." She hummed softly and they stayed like that for a while longer until she slowly wriggled away from him.

"Take a shower; we need to go down for dinner soon." He groaned but immediately perked up when she kissed his cheek. "Now go." She said sternly, pointing at a door that he hadn't noticed at the side of the room. After making sure he'd gone in she left the room to get ready herself.

Almost as soon as he was done changing into what he deemed were presentable clothes for dinner, there was a knock on his door and he opened it to find Fleur outside, her hair looking a little wet and looking just like she'd come out of the shower and wearing a shirt and a pair of shorts that did nothing to diminish her beauty.

"You need to get more zings to just wear when you're at home 'Arry." She said, eyeing him with a smirk. "Zat's going to be one of the main zings we'll do tomorrow." He couldn't stop himself from groaning. Laughing she pulled him through and set off downstairs. Stopping first to show him her room which was right next to his. It wasn't much different from his although her wardrobe was much larger than his.

He was struck by how normal the house looked. Perhaps this was why the house was so inviting and warm. While the Burrow had been a fun place to be in, it was still strange to him. Coming from years of living with muggles it had been a strange experience and a little uncomfortable living in a house that was by no means normal. The Delacour home was a mixture of both muggle and magic. The Living room looked no different than one from a muggle house. They even had a TV, radio and all the usual muggle electronics.

"I see you got here alright." A mild voice sounded as soon as he and Fleur came into view at the living room where Dominique, Sirius and someone else were seated.

"Remus!" Harry exclaimed happily.

"Nice to see you again. Muggles gave you trouble over the past week?"

"No. They were fine." He nodded. "I need to talk to you about something." He looked apologetically at Fleur who shook her head with a smile and went in the direction of the kitchen.

Harry eyed Lupin curiously as he led him a little away from the others. "Anything wrong?" He asked as soon as they were out of earshot of the others.

"No…no its nothing important but…" He looked like he was struggling to find the right words. "The full moon is next week."

"Why does that…I…oh…" Harry looked up worriedly. "I thought I wasn't turned….so"

"No, no you weren't turned. Don't worry, you definitely will not turn furry at night." He managed a small smile at this. "But nevertheless I think it might affect you a little at the full moon."

He didn't speak for a few moments. "Will I be dangerous? To the others I mean…"

"No you won't. Stop thinking like that! It most probably will be small things, like some of your new senses will be augmented…things like that. Your mind is your own so you don't have to worry about anything like that." Harry nodded slowly. He had told Lupin about his improved hearing and other subtle changes, like his new found cravings for meat, faster reflexes and higher awareness of what went on around him.

There were small changes that he himself hadn't noticed but others had. There was something inexplicably feral about him now. The way he moved was slightly different, his movements were too refined to be 'normal'.

"Just take a while, get help if you need it. It will take some time getting used…that's all I wanted to warn you about."

"This will only happen at night yeah?"

"Yes." Harry nodded again. They talked for a while longer as Lupin was curious about how much more he had progressed in the wandless magic side, smirking as he described how he had been able to scare the Dursleys with a cheap parlor trick.

Soon it was time for dinner and they all retreated to a large dining table. The house elves kept hanging around as they ate, trying to help in any way they could. The food was actually better than what he'd eaten at Hogwarts and that was saying a lot. It was an enjoyable and lively affair as Sirius kept taking every available opportunity to ask Apolline about her Veela friends (Fleur had explained to him while they were upstairs what Sirius had been whining about). Harry had more fun listening and having quiet conversations with Fleur as he ate. Soon after the plates were cleared and taken away Sirius sighed.

"Gotta start heading back." He muttered, getting to his feet with Lupin. Harry looked up in confusion.

"Where are you two going?"

"Meeting…we'll explain later." Sirius added quickly before Harry could open his mouth. "Oh and when do you want to go to Diagon Alley? I heard something about Ollivander…"

"Yeah, I need to get my wand checked up. There is something else to do too." He said softly, unconsciously touching his chest where his necklace was. Sirius nodded and glanced at Dominique.

"Do you need to go tomorrow or anytime soon?" He asked.

"No…around next week or the week after should be good." Fleur looked relieved at this.

"Alright. Later then folks. Thanks for dinner" Sirius said brightly. Lupin nodded and added his thanks. They were almost at the front door when Sirius turned back with a mischievous grin.

"Be good Harry. I don't want to hear anything about you sneaking into…"

"Sirius!" But with a wink they left, closing the door leaving a blushing Harry while Fleur and the others laughed. Soon afterwards Apolline left to put Gabrielle who had fallen asleep at dinner to bed. Dominique left to get an early night's sleep as he had to leave for work early the next day leaving Harry and Fleur alone. They went up to his room where she snuggled up next to him with her head on his shoulder like she always did back when they used to spend time in her room in the carriage. He proceeded to tell her about his week, which mostly involved how he'd met Matt, Linda and Leah. He didn't tell her about anything else, the things he'd seen…but he decided he would slowly let her know one way or the other before summer was over.

She left very reluctantly when she noticed he'd started stifling yawns, demanding that he get some sleep. After giving him a rather long good night kiss which ensured he got his lopsided grin etched to his face she walked away, her hips swaying seductively. Stopping in front of her room she shot a mischievous grin back in his direction before slipping inside, leaving him to close his door and collapse back into his bed. Try as he might, he couldn't keep his eyes open for long and he was fast asleep within minutes.

Nothing troubled him for the night again as his dreams were centered around the woman next door.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for taking a while to put this up. I ran into a lot of problems on my first week of classes. Got dropped from a few for no reason, spent hours trying to track down professors to get added…it was hell. Head wasn't in the correct place to concentrate on much else but yeah…seems like it's all sorted out now. **

**So as you guys have noticed, I will not be putting up another story as a sequel. Gonna keep going with the chapters so treat this as the chapter 1 of book 5 if you like :) There was one of you that sent a review asking specifically if I was going to be doing this or putting up another story as a sequel…here's my answer xD. I made a mental note to reply to that ages ago but I guess it slipped my mind...sorry! **

**It's not even funny how I seem to be missing out on replying to the people who had questions and stuff. Please believe me when I say that I tried : I just…forget stuff and get distracted a lot. Last two weeks were full of distractions and all that. **

**As always please leave anything you guys have gotta say :) They are my main source of inspiration after all and I love reading what you guys leave behind for me. I especially like how even the criticisms I get are very constructive and you guys point out what I do wrong and give suggestions on how to improve. Thank you so much for those and keep being critical! **

**Gonna start working on the next chapter pretty soon. Hope this was a good read! **

**I will read through this again tomorrow and edit errors then…I've already tried my best to minimize 'em but I know there is always something I miss. **

**Later! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks go out to every single one of you that make this story look good :). Without boring you guys further and an apology in advance about the time this chapter took to surface, let's get on with it! **

**Disclaimer is as normal, Italics for French and stuff.**

**CHAPTER 15**

"How dare you walk back in here you worthless…"

"Shut up you old hag." Sirius muttered tiredly, pointing his wand at the portrait of the woman he had long since stopped calling his mother. The covers snapped back into place, covering her face from view and effectively stopping her tirade of insults. Looking over at Lupin he grimaced.

"Charming as always." Lupin said with a hint of amusement.

"Yeah…now you see why I never wanted to get you guys over for summer." He hated being here, the place that was no better than Azkaban in his childhood. Forced to carry his family's pureblood mania until he'd met James and the others and been sorted into Gryffindor, he'd strived to show how different he was from the rest of his family. When he'd run away he thought he would never have to set foot in this place again. Then again, his luck wasn't the greatest.

"They keep getting cleverer." Lupin said mildly as he bent down to pick up what looked like a used dungbomb lying just in front of the door to the kitchen.

"Stupid brats." As if it wasn't bad enough having to be stuck here when he could have been spending the summer with his godson and some Veela friends of Apolline (he has his dreams), he instead had to put up with the Weasley children and the Granger girl. While he didn't mind the twins seeing as their pranks livened up this dreary place and gave that miserable excuse for a house elf no end of trouble, the younger ones were borderline annoying.

Hermione and Ron, the two that he'd met on Harry's third year were two that he felt less than warm towards. He had, with the help of Remus, gotten what happened between Harry and them on the day the other schools arrived in Hogwarts. What those two did was not something he found easy to forgive no matter how trivial it might seem. Friends were not supposed to turn on each other for petty reasons, that only showed just how much of friends they were and what they did affected Harry too much. That and the memory of Pettigrew's betrayal was still fresh on his mind.

Even he could see just how much his godson changed over the span of a few weeks, going from the friendly and somewhat cheerful Gryffindor to someone completely detached from the rest, other than a select few people.

True, Harry never showed that side of him when he was with him and Remus but outside he was a different story. He had after all watched him in his 3rd year to see the change in character. If it weren't for Fleur he didn't know how he would have turned out and he was thankful that she entered Harry's life when she did. With everything Harry had to endure and undoubtedly will in the future, he was going to need her more than anything.

Knocking on the kitchen door thrice they waited. There were no sounds coming from behind the door at all and it seemed like someone had cast an Imperturbable charm on it to prevent anyone from the outside from listening in. Sighing he waved his wand, getting rid of the charm so that the knocks could be heard. The door was soon opened by a witch with bright pink hair and his face stretched into a grin.

"Hey there Nymphadora." She growled and immediately her hair turned red with a faint sizzling sound.

"Sirius, if you call me that one more time I'll make sure you are infertile for the rest of your life." She snarled and he felt Lupin shudder next to him. Come to think of it, he himself was shivering. They walked inside and he carelessly flicked his wand at the door again, recasting the Imperturbable charm.

"I am allowed to tease my favorite cousin aren't I?" He asked lightly, putting some distance between him and her and sitting down on the chair next to Moody who was deep in conversation with Dumbledore leaving an extremely flustered Lupin to take his seat next to Nymphadora (or Tonks as she prefers to be known) whose hair had returned to its usual pink.

Moody looked even more paranoid than usual as he noticed he had his hand tightly gripped on his wand under the table. He couldn't exactly blame him, given what had happened to him thanks to Barty Crouch Jr.

Sighing he fixed his gaze on the clock more to avoid the eyes of a certain Mistress Weasley who he had developed an extreme dislike for. It was laughable how Dumbledore thought she was good for the Order. She did nothing more than to demand where Harry was and seemed to be determined to get him back to her clutches, something that for the life of him he would never allow.

The Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's resistance group and perhaps the _only _group that was willing to stand up to Voldemort given how things were turning out in the Ministry and the general public. In the past it was a great asset to the wizarding world when Voldemort was attacking openly. They had saved many lives and many of them had given their lives fighting against Voldemort, the most recent being Harry's parents.

Dumbledore had been rallying up some of their old allies for over an year now and he and Lupin had been helping wherever they could. It hadn't been very successful as right now they barely had over 10 people and even some who had supported them in the past looked like they were more inclined to believe Fudge.

He was impressed however by the fact that they had Kingsley Shacklebot on their side who was reading a letter, sitting on the left of Lupin. He is one of the top Aurors in the ministry and someone who even Alastor Moody respected. He'd initially thought he was blindly loyal to Fudge as so many others were.

Glancing around the room he nodded at Arthur Weasley. A good man, although he sometimes felt sorry for him for what he probably had to endure due to the red haired woman sitting across from him who was still eyeing him angrily. He had an idea that an outburst was coming soon and it was difficult hiding a smirk. This was going to be fun.

"Thank you Alastor." Dumbledore murmured softly when Moody stood up and at the same time Kingsley did too.

"If there is anything else we'll let you know Albus." Kingsley said, tucking the letter inside. Dumbledore nodded again and the Auror and ex-Auror left without another word.

"Sirius, did everything go alright with Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his customary twinkle back in his eyes.

"Yeah. He's settled in. Fleur will take care of him." He replied cheerfully, inwardly grinning at the look of fury that was on Mrs. Weasley's face. Dumbledore seemed to notice this because he slowly stood up with an air of a man that wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Good, the next time you see him please let him know that he will get the letter about his O.W.L's…" Here Mrs. Weasley got an incredulous look on her face and made signs of interrupting although she was silenced by a glare from her husband. "…by next week. Also he would do well to visit Ollivander soon."

"I'll let him know." He nodded and made towards the door when Mrs. Weasley finally spoke.

"What O.W.L's and when is Harry coming back here?" He stopped at the door and turned around. Those dam eyes twinkling brightly.

"That will be up to Harry but I daresay he will be here a few days before the first of September. By your leave then." He disappeared through the door and Sirius smirked. The sly old man, he wasn't as noble and righteous as he made out to be. Mrs. Weasley rounded on Lupin and him.

"What was the headmaster talking about?"

"Harry will be taking his O.W.L's this summer." He couldn't stop the broad grin that formed on his face when gasps arose around him.

"But isn't Harry like what? 14 years old?" Tonks asked wide eyed. He nodded.

"Turning 15 on July but yeah, he will be on his 6th year this September if all goes well. Which I have no doubt it will."

"But he's with Ron and Hermione! How could he be going to an year higher than them?!" Mrs. Weasley asked loudly. He grinned.

"Maybe because he's a few shades higher than them?" Lupin caught his eye and shook his head in amusement. He didn't care, he was allowed to boast about his godson right?

"But that's a big decision! How could you let him do this? He'll be out of Hogwarts within two years this way…when he's just turning 17 he will be out!"

"Yes he will. Minerva herself made the proposition to him and he asked us all before agreeing to it."

"He didn't ask me!" He couldn't hold it in as he burst out in laughter. Tonks was grinning widely as she leaned back in her chair and started twirling a strand of her hair while Lupin look slightly annoyed. Arthur…poor Arthur looked like he wanted nothing more than to disappear.

"Why should he be asking you?" He asked after he'd managed to calm himself down. Mrs. Weasley looked to be at a loss for words and opened her mouth a few times although no sound came out.

"I have been taking care of him for the past few years!" She snapped and he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Really?"

"At least I was there for him! You didn't even come into his life until last year! You weren't there for him for all those years and now you come in…"

"Why wasn't I there for him?" He asked venomously. "Do you think I _chose_ Azkaban? Do you think I wanted to spend 13 long years in jail rather than take care of him? My own godson?" She opened her mouth but shut it again, it seemed like she was thinking furiously trying to come up with a way to counter him.

"You don't know the first thing about taking care of him! How could you just leave him with that Veela woman and her family? Especially now of all times!" He chuckled despite himself.

"He's safer there than anywhere else. That 'Veela woman' cares a lot more about him than I or you or anyone else put together."

"That's…" She began again but he cut her off.

"He doesn't need a mother." He snapped making her flinch. "He already has one and there's no need for you to try to fill that role. Lily still watches over him. If you knew the first thing about him, if you knew anything about him at all you wouldn't be trying to control him. For all the talk you do about taking care of him for the past few years you don't know the first thing about him." She stared at him mutely before storming out of the kitchen.

Arthur waited for a few seconds before grimacing slightly and got up, after quietly bidding them good night he left too. When the door opened an explosion of noise met their ears. It seemed that Mrs. Weasley was venting her anger on her children who by the sounds of it, had been trying to eavesdrop on their conversation again.

"So, Harry the prodigy then?" Tonks asked as soon as the door closed. He shook his head in mock sadness. "I saw the pictures from the ball. Quite the looker…wish he was a few years older though."

"Aren't you over your twenties?" He asked with a small grin. She smirked back.

"Age doesn't seem to be a problem for him. Besides…" She got a pained expression on her face and her hair lengthened, reaching her waist and turned silvery white as her facial features sharpened or softened accordingly. There in front of him stood a passable copy of Fleur. There was something missing though but he couldn't put his finger on it. "I can use this as an asset too." She finished with a wink.

"Try it. Just don't come crying to me when he curses you. I taught him myself and he's already delved into the gray area." She slowly reverted back to her normal appearance and yawned.

"No…I don't really like the thought of going for someone more than 5 years younger than me. 4 is where I draw the line. Well that and competing with a Veela..." She shook her head. "He won't be coming here at all then until September? That's a shame, I was really looking forward to meeting him."

"I'll try and get him to drop by here. Perhaps when he comes to Diagon Alley I'll drag him here for a few hours. Can't make any promises though with the company we have." She nodded and yawned again, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Can't say I blame him." She put her arms on the table and rested her head on them with a small sigh. Lupin was already half asleep and he himself felt his eyes drooping shut as he struggled to stay awake.

"Rough day at the ministry?"

"You don't know half of it." She said, her voice muffled. "Fudge is sweeping the whole place up and getting rid of people who stand on Dumbledore's side. The papers are lapping up his every word and both Dumbledore and Harry are continuing to be discredited. Honestly, muggles are smarter than us." He grimaced. He'd read the first issue of the Daily Prophet for the month and was immediately disgusted to find that it was filled with rubbish about Harry. The papers were turning him into some kind of attention seeker and dismissing the return of Voldemort as lies.

The worst part was that everyone seemed to accept it. Everyone was willing to do anything to discount the fact the Voldemort had returned. They were all choosing to be cowards.

"I'd better get going then." She muttered wearily, getting to her feet.

"You know you could stay here." He offered and she shook her head with a small smile.

"I'm on guard duty tomorrow, don't need that banshee waking me up at the crack of dawn to clean this place." He groaned, he'd forgotten about that. "Thanks for the offer though."

"Yeah. I'll see you later then." She waved at him before disappearing through the door. Stifling a yawn he got to his feet, glancing over at Lupin who was fast asleep. The full moon was just next week and he already had a pale, sickly look about him. Hoping that Harry was at least better off than this given his condition, he tried to shake him awake. Seeing that he was unsuccessful he trudged wearily towards the door. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

Harry woke up feeling far more comfortable than he had in quite a long time. For a moment he wondered how on Earth was the bed he was lying on so soft and warm, the bed he was used to was anything but those. Suddenly he remembered with a jolt that he wasn't at Privet Drive anymore. He was in France. He was with Fleur. Unable to stop grinning like a fool he got up, weariness forgotten as he put on his glasses and stretched, gazing out the window.

He could clearly see the clock tower marking the spot of the town. The river looked inviting, he rarely felt urges like this but he was itching to go jump in it right now.

After taking about half an hour to do the usual morning ritual; brushing teeth, shower, change into something other than night clothes. He didn't have much choice there, choosing to wear a comfortable sweater and a rather baggy pair of jeans and with a sigh realized that he was going to have to ask Fleur for help in expanding his normal everyday wardrobe. He was disgruntled about it but on the whole he wasn't going to complain much. For the life of him he will never admit it, but he liked watching Fleur fuss over him.

Once he'd deemed himself presentable in front of the mirror, or as presentable as he thought, he quietly opened the door to his room and slipped out. He had no idea what time it was and didn't want to wake anyone else up in case they were asleep. Fleur's door was shut so he made his way downstairs.

He could hear voices downstairs which got clearer as he approached and a smirk appeared on his face when he heard what they were saying. Apolline was speaking in rapid French but after spending a full year in constant company of 4 French speaking women and with his unusually fast learning of the language, he was able to understand it…or most of it. It seemed that Dominique had forgotten to eat Breakfast and was now getting chewed out by his wife for it.

"'Arry!" A small bullet slammed into him, knocking the wind from him. With a grin he bent down and picked Gabrielle up making her squeal. She and Leah were both very much alike and if he had to guess, both were probably at the same age. He was very fond of both of them and they easily felt like his own little sisters.

Remembering something he walked towards the living room with her still in his arms and sat down, setting her on his lap and glanced around searching for any sign of Fleur. Deeming that she was nowhere in sight he turned to Gabrielle who was watching him curiously, her eyes large and gleaming just like Fleur's.

"_Can you keep a secret?" _He asked softly in French and her eyes widened.

"_You can speak it?" _He grinned at her and nodded. She grinned back.

"_It will be our secret for now ok?" _She nodded vigorously. _"Just don't tell your sister for now." _

"_Got it!" _She chirped happily. She then jumped off him and took his hand, pulling him towards the kitchen area. He caught sight of Apolline bending in front of the fireplace. Dominique's head was sitting on the fire, seemingly undisturbed by the flames that were dancing around him and Apolline was feeding mouthfuls of toast through a fork while he protested weakly.

"_It feels weird eating like this." _He whined.

"_It's all your fault for not eating. Now be quiet!" _Apolline said sharply and Dominique wisely stopped protesting. Harry couldn't stop smiling. The position Dominique was in was unnervingly similar to the one he was in with Fleur whenever she was determined about something. Dominique suddenly spotted him and Gabrielle and greeted him.

"'Morning Harry" He said cheerfully. Apolline smiled and greeted him too. Then without warning she popped the last bit of toast in her husband's mouth making him choke slightly while he watched grinning.

"'Morning." He returned brightly. He was still a little shy of addressing them by their preferred names or in Apolline's case…well. They refused point blank to respond when he called them Mr. or Mrs. Delacour. Dominique insisted that he use his first name as did Apolline. Much to Sirius's glee and Harry's extreme embarrassment last night over dinner, she suggested he call her 'mother' which made his and Fleur's faces glow red while Sirius dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"Just a minute dear, your breakfast will be ready een a few minutes." Apolline said as she got up and walked into the kitchen with a few plates in her hands. Gabrielle took off after her but not before waving at her father who grinned back. A house elf suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of Apolline and took the plates from her insisting that she go back outside while she in turn was protesting that she wanted to help. Both men chuckled at the scene before them and Dominique shook his head in amusement.

"My wife will never understand that they _like _having a lot of work to do." Then he looked apologetically at Harry. "Sorry, but I need to go now…my break is almost done."

"It's alright" With a grin and a nod, his head disappeared with a pop. Apolline came back with Gabrielle clinging to her hand and carefully set her down on the chair.

"Where's Fleur?" He asked curiously, glancing at the clock which displayed 9 am. She glanced at the clock too, momentarily distracted from feeding Gabrielle who always seemed to throw tantrums when it was time to eat.

"She's still asleep." She muttered with a sigh, then she turned back to him with a smirk. "Will you wake 'er?"

"Um…"

"Go. She will sleep ze 'ole day ozzerwise. I usually go up to wake 'er around now anyway. If I don't she'll sleep until lunchtime. Further zan zat if she can get away with eet." He tried to protest but she was adamant about it. The mischievous twinkle in her eyes was also making him wary but nevertheless he got up and went back upstairs and after quietly knocking on the door he opened ir when he got no response.

He immediately had to stop himself from staring and felt the color rise in his cheeks. She was lying on her side fast asleep with a content smile and her hair splayed out behind her which seemed to shine in the sunlight streaming in her room. The thing that was making him blush was that her shorts looked like they had rolled upwards during the night exposing her legs a lot more than what he was used to seeing and her shirt was pulled up slightly too exposing her navel. Certain reactions were not alien to him as were some less than pure thoughts. There was only so much temptation he could take.

Wondering why he was given the job of waking her he carefully avoided looking anywhere but at her face. Even that was giving him an ache of longing in his heart and he was seized by a sudden desire to kiss her. Her lips were parted slightly and looked all the more inviting and he actually leaned in slightly before catching himself and shook his head violently.

"Fleur?" He murmured softly. She didn't respond at all. "Fleur…" He tried again, louder this time and she stirred slightly, moaning as she did so and said something in French that was too quiet for him to make it. Even her voice was increasing his longing. Grimacing slightly he put his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her while murmuring her name again.

"'Arry…" She said softly making him freeze. She still had her eyes closed. Then she suddenly giggled, "Oui…" She moaned before whispering his name again. That did it, she was breaking his resolve and he liked hearing this he felt like he was taking advantage of her.

"Fleur…wake up." He said clearly, shaking her a little harder. She stirred again, her eyes fluttering open.

"'Arry? What…" Then her eyes widened and her cheeks started coloring pink.

"Your mother sent me to wake you…said you would sleep the whole day if not." He said with a grin, effectively giving her a chance to escape her embarrassment.

"I wouldn't!" Her voice was higher than usual and she blushed as soon as she said it. Slowly she pulled herself upright, avoiding his eyes.

"I'll leave for you to…" He began awkwardly but her hand shot out and gripped his.

"Non, stay…we'll go down togezzer." She pulled him onto the bed and rolled off. "Stay." She added warningly and he nodded with a grin making her smile back before she slipped through the door at the side leaving him alone. A few minutes later he heard the sound of a shower being turned on and with a content sigh glanced at the window which had a view just like his.

Her flowery scent lingered in the room, ever since the third task when he was attacked, his sense of smell had improved too along with the other small changes. Her scent was extremely soothing to him and there was also another pleasant smell mixed in with hers that reminded him a lot of honey although he couldn't identify where that was coming from.

Glancing around the room he smiled when his eyes fell on the framed photograph of them lying on her bedside table next to her wand. They had their arms around each other and Fleur's head was resting on his chest and smiling at him while his own photographic self was grinning up at him while snow fell around them. This was taken a few days after the Yule ball.

Unconsciously grinning back as he gazed at the picture, he let his thoughts wander back to the pleasant moments they had back in Hogwarts while at the same time the old pain resurfaced when he remembered their time together was limited as he was going to be back in Hogwarts in a few months and this time, she wouldn't be there anymore.

He caught himself wishing frequently that instead of this being his 6th year if he was successful, this would be his 7th and final year. Cursing himself for not working seriously as he did now over the past few years in which case that might have been a possibility he gazed absently at her wand.

It looked inviting if anything. There was something about it that was calling out to him in a way that he'd never felt before when looking at another's wand. There was an inexplicable urge to pick it up and he couldn't stop himself as he slowly reached over and picked it up just as the door behind him opened. At once a surge of warmth that was all too familiar for him from when he first touched his phoenix wand flowed through his hand and spread through his whole body. The wand grew warm and a shower of blue and gold sparks burst out the end.

"'Arry?" He turned around and quickly replaced her wand on the table.

"Sorry, Fleur I…" She shook her head.

"Zat was beautiful." She murmured softy. "Zat was my wand?"

"Yeah." He said sheepishly. "I didn't know what I was doing." She grinned and climbed onto the bed, rolling over and taking her wand. Then she plopped her head on his lap, twirling her wand between her hands. Wordlessly she held it up to Harry, watching him carefully as he took the wand. The warmth surged through again and a few sparks danced out the end again. Some of it hitting her cheek, making him start and gently caress the spot. She smiled and nuzzled into his hand trying to show him that she was ok.

"Eet didn't 'urt." She murmured. Picking up her wand which was lying on the bed beside them when Harry had dropped it thinking he'd hurt her. "Eet never did zat for anyone but me." She murmured softly. Placing it at the side she gazed up at him. "'Ow long were you 'ere trying to wake me?"

"Only about a minute…honest!" He added when her eyes took on a mischievous twinkle.

"Really?" He nodded vigorously. "I don't believe zat." She said with a smirk and without warning she suddenly got up and pushed him down on to the bed and started tickling him mercilessly. He had no way to retaliate and couldn't do anything more than protest weakly in between his laughter while she kept up her relentless assault. He couldn't seem to stop laughing and looked especially adorable which in turn made it hard for her to stop.

Finally she stopped, leaving him gasping for breath. Seized with a sudden desire she bent down and captured his lips in hers in a chaste kiss which slowly grew more heated as the seconds slowly rolled by. The contact always made her feel safe, loved and at home just like it always did him. Finally breaking away after a few minutes, both their faces colored a pleasant red and lips slightly swollen she wordlessly got up off the bed and pulled him up.

"I'm starving," She said softly and he laughed before letting her pull him with her. "Shall we go out today? Zere are so many places I want you to see." He noticed the way her eyes sparkled when she said this. Squeezing her hand he smiled at her.

"Anything." He replied, gazing fondly at her. They slowly made their way downstairs where Apolline was sitting in the living room reading a book while Gabrielle was watching a cartoon on TV. Apolline grinned at the pair when she spotted them and nodded towards the clock.

"I didn't zink zat you would take over an 'our to wake 'er up." She said humorously. Sure enough it was already five past ten. "Ze table's set for you two." Soon they were tucking into what was easily a far better breakfast than any served in Hogwarts.

"I don't think the house elves make this?" He asked in between bites.

"Non, mozzer always cooks." She grinned. "Drives ze 'ouse elves crazy. Zey keep chasing 'er out of ze kitchen and she keeps going back in." They continued to eat in silence until all the food was wiped clean from their plates. Once they were done the house elves cleaned the table and she immediately got to her feet. "You ready?"

"Now?!" He didn't feel like moving now, not when he was comfortably full. She pulled him up and pushed him all the way back upstairs ignoring his protests. After making sure he was getting changed she left to get dressed herself. Putting on the black shirt he'd gotten from Caroline for Christmas along with a matching pair of black jeans he checked himself on the mirror. He wasn't vain but he had to admit that he'd grown out in the right places by now and the shirt Caroline had given him fit him really well. After knocking on the door to Fleur's room he entered after hearing the soft 'enter'.

She was sitting on her bed and stood up, making her way towards him. She was wearing blue jeans along with a white blouse, her necklace clearly visible which was gleaming brightly. "What do you zink?" She asked playfully once she was standing a few feet in front of him.

He didn't understand it, but as of late he'd been getting rendered speechless frequently by Fleur everytime he saw her. It wasn't like he was reduced to a glassy eyed drooling mess, but her beauty never failed to make him just stop and stare, wondering what he'd ever done to get someone like her.

"Beautiful…" He murmured softly. Catching her eye he ducked his head shyly but she lifted it back up and planted a swift kiss on his lips.

"You're not too bad yourself." Then with a grin she looped her arm through his. "Shall we?"

"We shall." He said with a smile. "But what about that? Won't it attract attention?" He asked pointing at the necklace. Muggles surely would find something wrong with a brightly glowing emerald stone. His was hidden underneath his shirt but if anyone focused on his chest they would see a blue glow giving it away.

"Zere's a muggle aversion charm on it. If I really wanted to 'ide eet I could use an invisibility charm. Didn't you do one?" He shook his head.

"Can't do magic can I? Outside of Hogwarts I mean."

"You can!" She exclaimed. "Zey can't do anyzing about eet if you perform magic in ze 'ouse." His eyes widened, he hadn't known that.

"But on my second year I got a letter from…" She nodded, she knew what he was talking about.

"C'est vrai mais…what I mean is zat you can use magic 'ere. In a wizard's 'ouse zey can't track you." A grin slowly formed on his face as he drew out his wand.

"So if I use magic I won't get into trouble for it?"

"Non." He made to raise his wand but she stopped him. Slowly she traced his necklace with her hand and tapped it with her wand making it glow a silvery white for a split second before looking normal again. "Little zings I can take care of." She murmured softly. Not knowing what made him do it he leaned in and kissed her cheek before pulling her out with him not noticing the cute blush adorning her face.

Apolline looked up at the pair as they descended downstairs again. "You two are going to ze town?" They nodded and she looked apologetic before asking, "Can you bring me a few zings when you're coming back? Gabrielle and I will be going to see your grandmuzzer in a few 'ours, she'll be coming to spend the rest of the summer with us today." Smiling at Harry she added, "She wants to get to know you."

"Oui maman, what do you need?" Fleur asked. As it turned out she needed some groceries in order to prepare dinner. Both of them weren't going to be home for lunch and would only be getting back in the evening much to Gabrielle's displeasure.

He promised he'd bring something back for her quietly after he made sure Fleur and Apolline were busy discussing a list of things they'd be bringing back which brightened her up again. Then after saying their goodbyes they finally stepped outside and started on the slightly narrow path leading out of the Delacour residence which looked like something out of a muggle post-card with the trees covering either side of it.

Harry enjoyed the walk to town immensely. Even though they were only about 6 hours away from Paris (by muggle means of travel of course), it was completely different from what he'd been expecting. Being a town with that close a proximity to the capital he expected the streets to be just like back in England. In England, the streets were quite busy. Vehicles barreling down the roads and hundreds of people filling the sidewalks. It was easy to get lost in the crowds there. Here, the road leading to town had only a few vehicles travelling at a time. Overall, it was peaceful.

The town itself was different from what he'd encountered in muggle England. There were only a few buildings that took up a lot of space; the local bank, a supermarket and the local school. At the center was the clock tower that he had seen from his room. It looked like the place where people go to just mingle with others, like the equivalent of the local park back in Privet Drive. Other than that almost all of the shops were quite small and modest in appearance although the insides were as modern as any muggle shop could get.

They made for quite an intimidating pair and attracted many curious and appreciative glances. Harry long since realized that it was impossible to stop Fleur being eyed like a piece of meat by others. He also knew that he himself was in a slightly similar position as hers, the stares he was attracting by women were certainly not because he was the boy who lived and he hardly looked 14 anymore.

Neither of them cared. The whole of last year they had constantly taken time to understand each other and had strengthened their relationship time and again until both their insecurities had vanished. Fleur was no longer afraid of contact with males and didn't cringe away from the looks she got, Harry had taken away those fears and she knew he would be there for her always. She enjoyed the way he sometimes became speechless and looked at her with a new look in his eyes that always sent pleasant shivers down her back.

He was no longer afraid of her leaving him. It had taken time but he'd stopped wondering why she chose him and instead devoted himself to making her happy, the results clearly showing and in turn making him probably the happiest man on Earth.

Fleur dragged him into the one thing he'd been dreading, a clothes shop. The shopkeeper and the assistant recognized Fleur instantly and greeted her cheerfully while eyeing him curiously. The two women who were both in their late 40's knew Fleur from way back and this looked like a shop that Fleur made regular excursions to every summer.

"_He's a good one, I'm happy for you." _The woman at the cash register said cheerfully as Fleur and the other woman dragged him around the aisles stuffing shirts, T-shirts, jeans and shorts into his arms which was already becoming a big pile. He had absolutely no say in the clothes but he also knew there was nothing he could do about it.

Both women had immediately caught onto them when they'd walked in. Indeed, the intertwined hands had been a big give away and Fleur confirmed it when she introduced him as her boyfriend. Both women were fluent in English and had switched to it but he couldn't wait to see the look on Fleur's face when she found out he could understand and speak French too.

Grinning slightly when he saw Fleur blush slightly and mutter her thanks before pushing him into the changing room. He ducked inside and began the torturous task of trying on each and every article that she had picked for him and walking outside for her to see and deem whether satisfactory or not helped by the other women. This was rinsed and repeated about 13 times until he finally lost count.

Two agonizing hours later and with a noticeable dent in his wallet which he'd gotten from Sirius the day he arrived in France (Sirius had taken the liberty of giving him an 'early birthday allowance' and provided him with a substantial amount of money for use in the muggle part of France.), they left the shop laden with multiple bags in their hands all filled with clothes for him. Ducking into a deserted corner she quickly sent the bags home with a wave of her wand so they wouldn't have to carry them around for the whole day.

They found a restaurant that served a lot of France's traditional dishes which he was quite eager to try. The place had tables outside and inside and they chose to sit outside, watching the cars pass by while they chatted and ate. There was also a man with a guitar that came around the tables, singing songs to entertain the couples while they ate. Harry gave him a generous tip which in turn spurred the happy man to sing two more songs against their protests. When the man finally left he sighed. "Thought he'd never leave."

"It's your fault." She said with a smirk. They continued to eat for a few moments before he asked something that had been on his mind for a while now.

"Fleur…"

"Mm?"

"You know I have to go back to England…to go to Diagon Alley soon right?" She nodded, watching him curiously. "Would you mind…err, could you come with me when…" She started laughing and took his hand squeezing it gently.

"Of course I'm coming wiz you. You 'ad to ask? I'm not letting you out of my sight if I can 'elp eet." The smile she got in response made her heart flutter involuntarily. She was the only one who could get that particular one out of him.

He let out a sigh of relief, given the bigoted ideals back in England he'd thought she wouldn't want to come. Apart from wanting to introduce her to Brian Keep, the shopkeeper he'd purchased the necklace from, he didn't want to spend any time apart from her if he could help it.

"Why zough?" He looked at her curiously. "Iz eet somezing important?"

"Yeah. Remember Mr. Ollivander?" She looked at him blankly. "The wandmaker? The one who examined our wands at the…"

"Oh 'im! Oui." Chuckling slightly he nodded.

"After he examined my wand he asked me to meet him in private later that day." She nodded, he'd already told her about that but she didn't know what it was about. "I can't exactly remember what he said but there's something wrong with my wand…" His brow furrowed as he thought back to what the wandmaker had told him. "I can remember him saying something about a second core…something about the current one being inadequate or something."

"Zat sounds like somezing you need to get done soon." She said worriedly.

"No, no he told me I could still use it at the time. He only asked me to come by again after the tournament was over. Oh! There's something else…" He told her about the shop he'd bought the necklace from and his request to see her.

"Do you zink 'e can tell us more about ours?" She asked, fingering hers fondly. He felt his own warm up considerably and it glowed a little brighter as her own did.

"He's the only one that will know anything about it." He said with a shrug.

"Don't be too sure…" She murmured with a frown. Catching sight of the confused look on his face she added, "I zink my mozzer knows somezing about zis too…even my grandmere..." They continued discussing about the necklace well into dessert and even after it was cleared up both were content to stay a while longer. The cheerful waiter told them that they could spend as much time as they liked so they did just that.

"'Ave you written to Daphne?" She asked suddenly. He groaned, he knew there was something he'd forgotten. If he did his first week in Privet Drive would have been more livelier, she almost always immediately sent replies which made Hedwig happy to be flying around constantly and the playful banter between them was something he liked a lot.

"No…did you?" She nodded with a grin.

"She 'as a surprise for you." He looked blankly back at her.

"A surprise?" He waited for her to elaborate but she didn't say anything. "You aren't telling me are you?" He got a smirk in response and sighed. "Women…" She laughed and got up, pulling him up too.

"We'll get ze zings maman wants now? We can send zem back 'ome so we don't 'ave to worry about eet later."

"Yeah." They made their way to the local supermarket where she took out a list and proceeded to search for the items her mother wanted. The place was huge and Harry kept wandering down different aisles before she finally shooed him away saying she needed to buy some things which for some reason she didn't want him seeing leaving him to do a bit of exploring until she was done.

It was then that the first hiccup of what could have been a perfect day occurred, and the fact that he could speak French came out in the open. It had been almost 5 minutes before he went back searching for her and found her eyeing a few containers intently with a frown on her face, oblivious to what was going on around her. A man was staring at her and kept edging closer to her, all the while with a lecherous expression on his face that made Harry want to curse him into oblivion.

He made his way closer quietly towards Fleur and the man who had his eyes on her and nothing else. Almost as soon as he'd gotten closer the man reached out to touch her and he immediately grabbed hold of his hand, grasping it with a lot more force than necessary and twisting it away from Fleur as he felt a surge of anger course through him. She turned around in surprise, eyes widening at what was going on in front of her.

"_I know this lady, I was just…" _The man stammered, his eyes fixed on Harry who was watching him icily.

"_Don't try it." _He said quietly. The man disgusted him, the stench of alcohol hanging about him only increased his disgust as he let go of him. A few people were looking their way curiously and the man hurriedly muttered an apology and left quickly, making his way towards the exit. Fleur didn't say anything but pulled him towards the cashiers and he was still a little moody when they walked out with the bags.

"_How long?" _She asked suddenly.

"_Been learning it for a while."_ He replied sheepishly. She giggled slightly and when he looked at her in confusion she started laughing. "What?"

"You sound funny, your accent…I didn't notice eet back zere but…"

"Yeah yeah…" He muttered. She suddenly grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss without warning and without regard for the people walking around them making him melt in her warm lips.

"Merci." She said softly, breaking away a few moments later. He only nodded with a small smile and they resumed walking oblivious to the stares around them. "We 'ave to work on your accent zough. Oh…" Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "We can trick Caroline and ze others!"

"As long as you keep Caroline away from me when she finds out."

"Coward." Laughing again at the annoyed expression on his face they continued on their way, their hands firmly intertwined.

As before she disposed of the bags the usual way. Then she led him to the center of the town which was rather crowded now. People were seated in benches around the clock tower or in some cases on the floor and generally just enjoying themselves.

He noticed that quite a lot of the people around were couples that were quite oblivious to anything but each other, the observation making him blush slightly as he stuck closer to Fleur unconsciously not noticing she was doing the same. They finally came across an unoccupied bench and once they were seated she leaned her head on his shoulder with a content sigh and he in turn wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him.

Neither spoke for a while, content on just looking at nothing in particular and taking comfort in each other's comfort. Both of them had found it a difficult week spending time apart which in turn raised the worry of how they were going to spend months apart from each other. They needed each other in a way that was inexplicable to anyone but themselves and Harry realized that if he was given the choice, he would give up Hogwarts, the magical world…anything to just have moments like this each day.

"This place is where you wanted to get me to the whole day right?" He asked softly. She nodded.

"I always wanted to come 'ere wiz you. Ever since we got togezzer." He looked at her curiously but didn't say anything. This place carried some significance to her and although he wanted to know what it was he didn't want to pressure her, especially if she didn't want to reveal why.

"I used to come 'ere a lot since I was leetle. Wiz my family." She said quietly after a while.

"Must have been nice." He murmured softly as he got a picture in his mind of Fleur and her family here some time ago, behaving just like the one he was watching now. The father was chasing the little girl who was giggling and trying to take cover in her mother's arms. He finally gave up and sat down on the floor and the girl broke away from her mother's arms and ran straight into his. Try as he might he couldn't help the sense of loss he felt as he watched them. Would he have been behaving like any of these children with his parents if they'd been alive?

"'Arry." Fleur whispered, startled he looked to his side to find her watching him. "I'm so sorry." He smiled and shook his head. She looked upset so he did something she never expected and pulled her with surprising strength up and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. After her initial surprise she leaned into him

"I have you now." She smiled and pecked his cheek before relaxing in his arms as they watched the sky steadily darken. They stayed quietly for a few moments before he spoke again. "Go on." The gentle tone he used was enough to spur her onward. This was an old wound that he'd helped heal and he deserved to know what it was.

"Since I started Beauxbatons, zere was a muggle girl I was good friends wiz." He nodded, waiting for her to go on. "We met in town 'ere every summer and usually spent a lot of time in zis place. She was one of ze only ones zat didn't resent me for 'ow I affect ze boys around me." She smiled at the memory. "She told me zat she wouldn't want to be in ze position I am and 'elped me a lot to mix wiz ze people 'ere."

"When were both 15 years old we started to umm…get interested in boys?" He smirked and she playfully scowled at him. "I knew by zen zat eet was going to be difficult for me to find a man zat cares about me for reasons ozzer zan my 'eritage." He didn't say anything and waited for her to go on.

"When we met again next summer she already 'ad someone. When she introduced me to 'im 'e was ze first man I'd met zat didn't look twice at me. 'E treated me like any ozzer person and I still 'ate myself for trying to make 'im notice me sometimes."

He could hear the self-disgust in her voice but still stayed quiet, waiting for her to go on. "I saw zem once 'ere in ze evening." She got a faraway look on her eyes as she said it. "Zey looked so…'appy and eet was zen zat I realized I wanted zat. I wanted someone zat would look at me zat way. I pictured eet in my mind so many times, wondering 'ow eet would feel."

She turned around to look at him, her eyes finding his. "You are more zan I could 'ave asked for. Zank you for making zat dream a reality." She felt a pleasant shiver run down her back when she felt his hand on her cheek, gently caressing it. His lips curved upwards in a small smile and she could have sworn his eyes were glowing like bright green lamps.

"You've got it all wrong." He said quietly. "_You _are more than _I _could have asked for." With a small smile she nuzzled into his chest, closing her eyes. "I wish we could stay like this forever." He murmured softly making her eyes snap open. She looked up at him to find him blushing slightly and looking away in embarrassment. With an evil grin she tugged on his shirt until he was forced to look at her.

"Zat sounds like a proposal Monsieur Potter." Her grin faded when he didn't speak for a few moments.

"What if it was?" He asked softly. She stared at him as her mind quickly processed what he was saying. She felt exactly like she had on the night of the Yule ball although this time she found her voice much quicker than before.

"But when Sirius said eet you…" He shook his head.

"I know that I'm still 14…turning 15." He winced slightly but he fixed his gaze on her. "After I heard him say it I couldn't stop thinking about it. You're already out of school and well…Would you…I mean…with me" He faltered and lost his voice but she was holding her breath. She felt her heart hammering in her chest as she held his gaze, hoping that he'd find his voice again. He closed his eyes. "There's no one I can bear to have a life with other than you. If you would have me."

It was like that night was playing over again although there was no uncertainty this time. It wasn't like it had slipped out like last time. He was telling her directly. She couldn't think of anything to say and instead did the next best thing as she cupped his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his, effectively silencing him.

They broke apart after a few minutes of bliss and she leaned her head against his and took a moment to collect herself. He needed an answer and as before there was only one she would give.

"You will need a ring ze next time." She said breathlessly, opening her eyes to find his staring back at her. "I will say 'yes' zen." All of the smiles she'd seen appear on his face in the past paled in comparison to the one he had etched on his face just now.

"I love you." She hummed softly and nuzzled back into his chest, cuddling up against him. _I know. _

"I love you too."

* * *

"Finally remembered to come 'ome?" Apolline asked with a smirk once they'd gotten back. Both of them sheepishly muttered their apologies. It was already 8 and they'd promised they'd be back home by 7. "Get changed and come down quickly, your grandmere 'as been demanding where you two were ze moment she got 'ere." They nodded and quickly went upstairs, stopping to give Gabrielle a box of chocolates he'd bought when they were buying the things Apolline wanted.

After a quick shower and a few minutes in which Harry had a hard time trying to decide what to wear (it was much easier to choose back when he only had a few articles of clothing), he found Fleur waiting just outside his door when he opened it wearing something similar to what she had the day before.

Catching his eye she smiled rather shyly before taking his hand and leading him downstairs. He had a permanent one etched on his face that he was having a hard time getting rid of and they attracted curious glances from Apolline and Dominique when they came upon them.

"_Fleur?" _A pleasant voice called from the direction of the dining table and Fleur hurried towards the woman sitting that looked unnervingly similar to Apolline. _"Oh you have grown again." _She laughed as Fleur hugged the woman tightly and stopped her from getting up. The woman who he by now had identified as Fleur's grandmother looked like she was still in her mid-thirties, her eyes the same bright sapphire orbs as Fleur's. The only thing that gave away her old age was her posture and the note of fatigue in her voice.

"_Where is this mysterious boy…ah that's him right?" _He smiled and moved closer to Fleur and her grandmother while Dominique and Apolline took their seats. _"'Arry Potter" _She took his hand and smiled up at him. She held his gaze and after a few seconds her smile grew wider. Whatever she had been looking for, she had found it in him and he knew at that moment that he'd gotten her approval. _"You chose well." _She said, grinning at Fleur who inclined her head, returning her smile. _"Please tell him how sorry I am for not being able to speak his language." _

"_That won't be necessary ma'am." _He said with a grin of his own and stifled his laughter when Apolline and Dominique's faces went blank with shock before looking at him with wonder. The woman's eyes were twinkling so brightly that they'd put Dumbledore's eyes to shame.

"_I like you already. Let me introduce myself, Alana du Couteau." _Alana said cheerfully. _"And I'll have you know now that I do not like being called 'madam'. I'm only as old as I feel." _He groaned before he could stop himself and flushed as Apolline and Dominique started laughing joined in with the others.

"_He has trouble calling us by our names mother." _Apolline said with a mischievous grin at him. _"And why didn't you tell us that he could speak French too Fleur?" _

"_I didn't know until today either!" _She exclaimed while Gabrielle who was sitting next to her giggled.

"_When did you start learning?" _Dominique asked curiously. _"I don't think you knew when we met did you?" _He shook his head.

"_No sir…" _Here Dominique mock glared at him making him grin sheepishly at him. It was a force of habit. _"I started learning after the third task." _

"_Impressive."_ He murmured. _"To be able to speak like you do within months is no small feat." _He blushed at the praise.

"_I still sound funny don't I?" _He asked, looking sheepishly around the table as Fleur grinned evilly at him.

"_No. I like it." _Apolline assured him. Soon the house elves brought the food and everyone were tucking into a wonderful dinner that beat anything he had eaten before.

The family talked throughout the meal, Alana was content to learn as much as she could about him and Fleur was only too happy to provide a rundown of all that transpired in Hogwarts. Dominique and Apolline were deep in conversation with each other although they kept joining in with the others whenever they heard something interesting. He was embarrassed at the looks of astonishment and awe when Fleur told them about the Chamber of Secrets.

"You're a Parselmouth?" Dominique asked and he winced, avoiding looking at anyone's eyes.

"Yes." He said quietly. He didn't see the glare Fleur shot at her father and the look of realization on his face.

"Harry please don't take me as the type that jumps to conclusions. I'm not blaming you or anything, I'm simply curious about that ability." He nodded and Dominique looked relieved.

He was in turn treated to some memorable experiences of Fleur in Beauxbatons and her childhood, courtesy of both Alana and Apolline. He couldn't stop smiling when he heard that she had first shown magic by turning Dominique's hair a vibrant purple which he had to sport for the whole day at the ministry because no matter what he tried he hadn't been able to reverse it.

Soon the plates were wiped clean and Apolline suggested they all turn in early spotting the tired looks on Harry, Fleur and Dominique's faces. Only Gabrielle and surprisingly Alana seemed to be full of energy. Bidding them good night Harry and Fleur trudged upstairs to their rooms. Almost as soon as they were upstairs, Fleur pinned him against the wall and kissed him hard.

The feeling of her soft lips moving against his and gently coaxing his mouth open drove all weariness from him as he returned the favor. Her sweet taste was making his head spin and he had no idea how long they stayed in locked in embrace before she slowly pulled away and with a final peck on his cheek and a quiet 'goodnight' she entered her room, closing the door quietly.

Once he was in his own room he fell on his bed without even bothering to take off his glasses and fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"Move aside girl." The woman shook her head frantically.

"Not Harry…please not him. Take me, take me instead." Everything seemed to blur as he watched his hand move, pointing his wand directly at the red haired woman's heart. A jet of green light erupted from it, striking the woman who immediately crumpled to the floor and he felt savage pleasure coursing through him as he stared her prone form.

The red haired woman, the room, the crib, all of it faded away. His eyes fell on a boy who was kneeling on the floor, tears running down his eyes with a wand lying in front of him. There were men standing around him, all of them wearing masks and two of them had their wands pointed at a woman with blonde hair who was lying on the floor, her back exposed with long slashes covering it.

"Just do it boy…end her suffering…" He whispered. The boy looked up at him, pure hatred mixed with anger, sadness and helplessness. "Still defiant? Look around you…your family lies dead around you. I will give you a chance, a chance to join me…all you have to do is kill your last remaining kin…is that so hard?" He nodded at one of the masked men.

"_Crucio!" _The woman screamed again.

"Mom! No! Stop it...please" The boy pleaded. The men kept their wands trained on the woman and he snapped. "Stop it...STOP" The boy yelled and grabbed the wand on the ground frantically and turned it towards the masked men but one of the others kicked him making him cry out in pain and drop the wand. The woman was shaking now as her screams died down.

"Just kill her. End her suffering." He murmured again. The woman's screams filled the air again and this time it didn't stop. The boy was screaming too, calling for help, calling for his father but no one was coming.

"Kill her…" He whispered. _"Imperio." _The boy suddenly stopped struggling and reached for the wand with a blank expression on his face. He pointed his wand at the woman who now had her eyes fixed on the boy. That expression she had, as if trying to tell the boy that everything was going to be alright was so amusing.

The wand moved and the boy uttered the fatal words and the woman crumpled to the floor after a flash of green. He removed the Imperius curse and the boy just knelt there, staring at the lifeless body of his mother. He was surprisingly quiet and strangely unresponsive. With a sigh he nodded at one of the masked men and he strode forward, roughly grabbing the boy's face and looking at him. A few moments later he looked up and shook his head.

A pity, the boy was too weak. He was broken. He couldn't be of any use to him.

"Get rid of him." He said, disgust evident in his voice. Everything faded away again and he was slowly moving forward along a narrow path. Tall hedges were on either side of him and in front of him he could see nothing but mist. Slowly he came upon a woman lying on the ground, her eyes glassy as they stared unseeingly into the heavens, silver hair splayed out behind her.

"Fleur…" His voice was different now, it wasn't high or as cold as it was earlier and didn't carry any malice in it. "Fleur please…not you." He dropped to his knees in front of her. "Fleur…" He kept pleading but she wasn't moving at all. He thought he could hear his name but he was alone. She was gone and he was alone.

There was someone standing in front of him, watching him with a cruel smirk. Those red eyes gleaming with badly hidden glee. He saw a pale almost skeletal hand raise a wand and point it at him.

"Now it's your turn." He didn't even try to raise his wand. There was no point. But there was still a voice in the background that sounded familiar, saying his name again and again.

* * *

"'Arry! Wake up! Please wake up!" Her voice. He'd recognize it anywhere.

"Fleur?" His voice was cracked and he slowly opened his eyes to find her staring at him, her face etched with worry. His eyes were wet and he realized he'd been crying. Seized by an urge to hold her he sat up and pulled her into his arms. She relaxed and put her arms around him and nuzzled into his neck cooing softly.

"I saw you…back at the third task." He murmured, his voice shaking.

"Shh…Eet was a nightmare, nothing more."

"There was a boy. I was there…I was trying to make him kill his mother…I was…" His voice shook and she tightened her arms around him.

"No you weren't. Zat wasn't you 'Arry." She said softly. They stayed in each other's arms for a while and she slowly lowered him back making him lie down again. Wordlessly she got under the cowers next to him and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him while draping a leg over him at the same time. She flicked her wand with her other hand at the lamp extinguishing it. He felt something soft graze his brow and someone gently caress his head before walking out and shutting the door behind them.

It was a long time before he was finally able to sleep again, even with Fleur next to him. Thankfully none of the horrific visions troubled him again.

* * *

The next morning he woke feeling slightly panicky before a pleasant flowery scent calmed him. Looking down he smiled when he saw the mass of silver on his chest. She still had her arm and leg draped over him and was still fast asleep. He had no desire to wake her so he stayed still. Soon enough he felt his eyes shut slowly and he was fast asleep again.

A short while later someone was shaking him awake gently. From the weight on his shoulder and the flowery scent he knew Fleur was still fast asleep next to him. Realizing this his eyes snapped open to find Apolline with a small frown on her face.

"'Ad a good sleep 'Arry?" He felt the color rise in his cheeks and looked helplessly between the sleeping form of Fleur who still had her arm and leg over him and the other Veela in the room.

"I…She…Mrs. Delacour I swear..." He started stammering and her frown vanished to be replaced by a mischievous smirk.

"Don't worry." She said soothingly, sitting on the edge of the bed. She then turned to look at him again, concern evident in her eyes. "You gave us all a scare last night. Are you alright now?"

"Yeah." He muttered embarrassedly. "I'm sorry…it was just a nightmare." She shook her head.

"More zan a nightmare from what we could 'ear. Don't be ashamed." She added with a small smile, catching sight of his sheepish expression. He nodded and at that moment Fleur said something softly that sounded a lot like his name before tightening her arm on him. He looked helplessly at Apolline who grinned back.

"She took away your nightmares zen?" She asked softly, looking at Fleur fondly who had her face hidden from view between his chest and her hair. He followed her gaze and a smile grazed his features too.

"She did." He murmured. She shifted her gaze back to him, watching him silently.

"Just when I zink my daughter couldn't get any 'appier I am proven wrong." She said after a while, watching him closely. "Do you know a lot about Veela 'Arry?" She asked suddenly.

"Not really no…" He said apologetically. She nodded.

"What if I told you zat Fleur was a pure Veela? In zat case you would be ridiculed as my 'usband was for being wiz someone zat is seen as a lesser being." He looked blankly back at her.

"It makes no difference to me." He said, his voice hard. "I hate it. I hate the way that people label her like that just because she is a little different." She nodded approvingly.

"I'm sorry if I offended you." He shook his head but stayed silent. It really did make no difference to him and it irked him that Apolline thought his feelings would change just because of that.

"'Arry…ze only reason why I brought zis up is because zere are somezings zat you need to know. Zere are certain zings zat will be different for you and Fleur from ozzer couples because of 'er 'eritage." When he made signs of interrupting she held up her hand, silencing him. "I 'ave no doubt een you. Zese are some zings zat you should be made aware about. Especially wiz you returning to 'Ogwarts."

"Why? What's wrong?" He asked, looking at Fleur with a bit of worry. She took a deep breath.

"My daughter told me about what you asked 'er yesterday." He stiffened slightly. "I need to know, zis is not because of your age…neizzer I nor my 'usband or even my mozzer see you as a child. What you asked Fleur was ze turning point in 'er life. I need to know from you zat you were serious about eet."

"I am." He said, letting a bit of steel enter his voice. He looked up straight into Apolline's eyes. "I love Fleur and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with her." A few moments passed before her eyes softened and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Fleur was right." She said happily. "You really are easy to read." She laughed at the sheepish expression on his face. "Keep 'er 'appy okay?" He knew then that he had gained her approval and inwardly sighed in relief.

"I will." Then he frowned. "But what did you say about me returning to Hogwarts?" She smiled rather sadly at this.

"I and Alana will explain all zis to you later. But tell me…'Ow 'ard is eet for you to be apart from 'er?"

"I feel like I need her with me at all times." He muttered, looking away not wanting her to see the blush creeping up on his face. She nodded knowingly.

"Zat is one of ze positive and negative zings about being with our kind. Eet's our magic 'Arry…just as Fleur 'as fallen in love wiz you anozzer deeper bond is forming between ze two of you and eet's only going to get stronger. Despite our nature you will see zat once we 'ave chosen ze one we want to be wiz we are extremely monogamous in nature and our magic adapts according to our feelings. In Fleur's case, 'er magic is now calling out to you and you only. From what I've seen, yours 'as already accepted eet. Sooner or later you two will find zat spending more zan a few days apart from each other will 'ave negative effects on each other."

"I know zis because eet is ze same zing zat 'appened between my 'usband and I. Also ze past week Fleur 'ardly talked to anyone. You two are getting closer togezzer much faster zan my 'usband and I. Een ozzer words, ze relationship you will 'ave…or already 'ave wiz 'er is much stronger zan any ozzer. No one will be able to come in between you two." She shook her head with a small smile. "You will understand. Fleur will eventually mark you as 'ers soon…you will see what I mean zen." He looked at her in confusion.

"Mark?"

"She 'as probably been restraining 'erself from doing so but I believe she made 'er decision yesterday. Ze mark…I'll just let you find out for yourself but eet will be a lot of 'elp to you two when you are apart. As will zat." She added, pointing at his necklace. Then her smile grew predatory. "Enough pretending to be asleep flower. Get 'im out of bed and come down for breakfast."

He jumped and looked down to find that Fleur indeed was awake and was now shaking in silent laughter. Looking back up at Apolline who winked at him she left the room leaving an extremely red faced Harry.

Fleur refused to move for a while and he resignedly stayed still although he wasn't complaining much. It felt so peaceful just lying there on the bed with her that he almost drifted off to sleep again before she spoke.

"Does it scare you?" She asked softly. He looked at her in confusion.

"Hm?"

"Does what my mozzer said scare you? Zat you and I will be…I mean…zat close?" Her voice steadily grew quiet towards the end. He shook his head and cupped her cheek with his hand making her look up at him.

"What scares me is that I will not be able to see you every day once I go back." He murmured. She smiled softly before reaching up to give him a chaste kiss.

"Eet is ze same wiz me. We will find a way zough." She said, her voice carrying the same firmness his did when he was talking with her mother.

He looked at her fondly. "We have to find a way."

**AN: Alright! Another chapter out the way...sorry if this was a little shorter than what you guys are used to but if I went further than this I wouldn't find a place to bring it to a stop and would probably have kept writing till this went to like…idk…20-24k words? Bit too much for one chapter if you ask me. **

**For everyone that sent me pms and reviews of the like asking for more H/F interaction, hope this lived up to it :). This chapter did contain a small cliché with the shopping and the like but yeah, someone had to improve his abysmal wardrobe y'know? **

**I know I have taken away one of the things many of you like of this story and that was the constant stream of updates that I've been keeping up. I'm sorry guys but I can't do weekly updates anymore. Once in two weeks is actually the best I can do now…my classes are a pain and all the other stuff…job, social stuff have become even more of a pain. Sure…I could just write like 5-6k words and put up chapters with those lengths once a week but that just makes me feel like it'll be inadequate. **

**So finally I am upping the rating after much internal debate…probably like 2-3 days after this chapter is uploaded it will be M. Don't worry though, there will be no explicit content anytime soon (read some of my earlier AN's…I know they're boring but c'est la vie ^^). Hope none of you will get turned away cuz of that…like I said, nothing much will change other than the fact I'll feel less paranoid. **

**Oh and I know so many of you are frustrated with me leaving clues and not answering any one of them. My short term mission to frustrate y'all, accomplished! Long term mission of explaining everything starts now. Please be patient and everything will make sense eventually (hopefully). If it's any comfort, the necklace thing will be revealed next chapter. Don't hold your breath though, chances are it won't be as significant as some may think…I only put that thing in as a minor addition and was blown away by the interest in it. You guys pick on like the smallest details ever and while that makes me really happy as the writer, it also makes me a little nervous at the same time lol. **

**So neways, please leave any thoughts about this chapter. What you liked, didn't etc. Each and everything you guys leave for me give me clues on how to improve my writing so don't hesitate at all. I think at least this time I managed to reach all that had questions, again I apologize if I didn't.  
**

**Rants over, I will try my best to put up the next one within the next two weeks. **

**Keep reading and I hope you all find this chapter satisfactory. **

**Later! **


	16. Chapter 16

**One of my targets reached! Thank you. Seriously, I've got nothing more to say. Those who favorited and follow this are no less forgotten. **

**Disclaimer…eh nvm. **

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 16**

Life at the Delacours proved to be very easy for Harry to get accustomed to. Initially he was a little awkward of being around Fleur's parents. After all, it wasn't a pleasant thought knowing that you just might be watched by the parents of your girlfriend who might be judging you and trying to deem whether or not you were a worthy match for their daughter. Within a few days he was thinking about how stupid he was about having those kinds of thoughts about Fleur's parents.

Perhaps what surprised him the most was that they honestly did like him. From Apolline he could see the same hint of fondness Sirius had for him whenever she looked at him and that put him to rest. What he didn't know, or maybe he did and just refused to acknowledge it was that he had already gained the approval of both Fleur's parents and her grandmother and that he was already seen as a member of their family.

Ever since that night, Fleur had taken to sleeping next to him. It gave him a strange feeling of happiness and embarrassment to find how much her presence affected him, to an extent that she could take away his nightmares...or calm him after seeing one. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that he loved the feeling of having her lithe form pressed against him every time he went to sleep or woke up in the morning.

He had been worried that Dominique would have raised an eyebrow at this or even Apolline but both of them seemed to have no problems with it. It seemed they trusted both him and Fleur to behave responsibly, something which he was determined to prove them correct about even though the temptation to go a few steps further than their usual physical contact was agonizing at times.

Fleur wasn't exactly helping him out either. She knew exactly how she affected him and was only too happy to keep torturing him. Also, something told him she wanted as much as him to just give into their desire for one another. He could decipher most of her emotions just from her eyes…what he saw in them whenever she stared at him or kissed him sent pleasant shivers running down his back.

Even with her near him however, there were certain things that even she could not prevent him from seeing. Death…Ignotus…he still visited them from time to time and to be honest, he welcomed those visions compared to what he saw with Voldemort which despite being quite short, sickened him to no end.

Still, he couldn't help but feel as if he was missing something. Like there was something he was supposed to gain from them. No matter how much he racked his brains he couldn't work it out and felt like there was something he needed before he was allowed to see the rest of...whatever the things Death was showing trying to show him. Death had been strangely unresponsive since the time he revealed himself.

Both Lupin and Sirius had been greatly disturbed to hear of the things he was seeing as Voldemort when they'd dropped by for a visit yesterday and he was sure by now that Dumbledore probably had an earful of what his week had been like from his irate godfather.

They confirmed that most of the killings and destruction he was wrecking in his nightmares as Voldemort had actually happened in the past, the clue that gave it away was when he told them about a particular instance where he dueled against a man who was able to put up a fight against him before falling to a rather grotesque curse that erupted from his wand which literally blew him up from the inside out.

Lupin confirmed that the man in question was one of the earliest members of the Order of the Phoenix. Well before the time he, Sirius, Lily or James had joined in.

Harry had been rather surprised to find that Dumbledore was the leader of the resistance group against Voldemort. With how he had seen Dumbledore from his years in Hogwarts, it just seemed highly unlikely that the old headmaster could have, or still is the leader of a group dedicated to fighting against Voldemort. From what he heard from his godfather and Lupin, the Order was rather active in the past, attacking Death Eaters and wiping out their numbers. Something which he found highly unlikely with someone like Dumbledore in charge.

When he had voiced his doubts all Lupin had been able to say was, "Given enough time, people can change."

From what he could gather, it seemed that the Order was now active once again, using Sirius's old family home as headquarters. Harry's worst fears had come true. Voldemort was not merely remaining quiet because he had caused a huge setback to his plans however much Sirius and Lupin tried to assure him. The fighting, the war…even though many didn't know it, it had already begun.

Voldemort was doing exactly what the Order was, recruiting more into his ranks. Harry could see just how stupid he was when he thought that the killings would have started pouring in since the night of the Third task. While Fudge and the rest of magical Britain were wonderfully oblivious to the growing terror in their midst, it was all aligned perfectly for Voldemort and the Death Eaters while it was positively disastrous to the Order.

Apparently Dumbledore had met again with Fudge and tried to warn him again. Dumbledore was convinced that Voldemort would try to regain his old allies which consisted of more than just normal wizards and witches. From what he learnt from Sirius, Lupin and even Dominique, the dark lord had a number of dark creatures at his disposal in the past.

Harry was shown a few copies of the Daily Prophet and what he saw in them made him shake his head sadly wondering how people could just be so blind. The papers were accusing him of being a glory hound and a liar. One particular part that caused Fleur to burn the paper to a crisp with a positively murderous look on her face that he prayed he would never see when she looked at him. _"…As if winning the Triwizard Tournament was not enough, Harry Potter has come out with claims that he who must not be named has returned. Rest assured that these claims are nothing more than an effort by the boy who lived to return to his previous level of fame which had been gradually diminishing over the years."_

He wasn't the only one. Dumbledore was getting discredited along with him. The headmaster was stripped of his titles along with the many positions he held in the Ministry of Magic. He still couldn't help smirking a bit when Lupin told him that Dumbledore was still as cheerful as ever as long as they didn't strip him off the chocolate frog cards.

Even with all this, he was rather surprised at himself to find that he cared little to almost nothing about what the papers said about him or about the fact that he was now probably the most laughed at and hated person in all of magical Britain. He'd given up caring about what people thought and stopped trying to convince them. As he had come to realize, a person is smart, rational, and can make proper decisions (Fudge was an exception…as were a few other people he didn't want to mention). On the other hand people were dumb…stupider than a bunch of trolls put together. Much better to just let them see reason than to try and gain their acceptance.

Lupin was unable to start teaching him Legilimency as they had planned because of the work he was doing for the Order by trying to recruit more of 'his kind' to their cause or more simply, stop them from joining Voldemort.

As Lupin said with a pained expression on his face, this was much easier said than done seeing as Fenrir Greyback was proving to be too persuasive. Harry who still had the memory of claws and teeth fresh in his mind always winced at the mention of the werewolf, something that no one failed to notice and made both Sirius and Lupin get a murderous glint in their eyes which he'd only seen the night they found Pettigrew in the Shreaking shack.

Sirius and Lupin didn't drop by again after their last visit. Sirius had asked, or rather begged them to just spend one night at number 12 when they came back seeing as Harry would most probably not be coming back before the start of school.

He had been rather reluctant at first. Even if it was for a night, it would mean having to face another row with Mrs. Weasley seeing as they were staying there for the summer. However he could tell from the look on Sirius's face this would mean a lot to him. He had realized then that number 12 was probably the place Sirius had in mind when he had asked if he wanted to live with him on his third year in Hogwarts before the situation had gotten out of control. As much as Sirius hated it, number 12 was still his home and the only home he could offer to Harry if he ever needed one.

Sirius also mentioned with a smirk that his and Fleur's sleeping arrangements wouldn't need to be changed as he had a perfect room in mind for them which despite their blushing faces, and in Fleur's case, a scowl too which was directed at her mother who was watching with a large smile, both were quite relieved about. Even though they had only recently started sleeping in the same bed, they found the new sleeping arrangements natural and somewhat of a necessity.

With everything, they decided that one night wouldn't hurt even if they had to face Mrs. Weasley, especially when Dominique said that it would be a little hard to organize International portkeys twice on one day for just one party.

As the days passed by, drawing closer to the full moon Harry started looking rather frail and sickly. While he wasn't as worse as Lupin when he had seen him, his anxiety about what the full moon would bring was probably making him more ill than he thought.

Fleur outright refused to his suggestion that he isolate himself on the night of the full moon as did the rest of her family. While he was convinced he wasn't going to turn all big and furry, he was still worried that he could end up hurting Fleur. After all, no one knew exactly what would happen.

Instead of worrying about others, he should have worried more about himself which would have been more within reason. The instant the full moon shone brightly from the sky, pain took over his senses and threatened to overwhelm him. He felt like his blood was on fire, burning him from the inside out and all Fleur and the rest of the family could do was watch helplessly trying to keep him from falling off the bed.

The pain only lasted for a few minutes before everything went back to normal, or as normal as he could hope for.

"'Ow are you feeling?" Fleur asked tentatively when he had calmed down and gone silent. His eyes were still tightly closed and his breath was coming out in gasps.

Slowly he opened his eyes and he could hear startled gasps from around the bed. Oddly, his eyesight was blurry and he felt his face to check if his glasses were still on. They were. Someone gently pried his glasses off his face and he felt his eyesight sharpen immediately as it fixed on Fleur who was watching him in wonder, his glasses in her hands while Apolline and Dominique too had similar looks on their faces. Gabrielle suddenly jumped onto the bed and exclaimed, _"They're glowing!" _

At his puzzled expression Apolline conjured a mirror and gave it to him. He took one look at it and his jaw dropped in surprise.

His eyes were literally glowing as if with a light of their own. He stared down at his glasses thoughtfully before looking up again. "I can see…" He said quietly.

"Do you feel alright?" Apolline asked gently. He nodded and a small smile played on his lips when Gabrielle drew closer, her eyes fixed on his.

"_I like it!" _She said brightly. _"Can't you do that every day?" _ Everyone laughed at her question.

"_If there's a full moon every day then yes." _He said with a grin. Dominique shook his head in amusement.

"_Come down for dinner Harry. I need to go down and floo call Sirius. He wanted to know if there was anything wrong with you when…you know. He'll be glad to hear there isn't much wrong with you." _He nodded and Dominique, Gabrielle and Apolline left the room.

"You never did answer if you were alright." Fleur asked again and he looked up at her with a reassuring smile. There was honestly nothing wrong with him. The only thing he felt off about was that he felt unusually full of energy, earlier weakness forgotten. Apart from his perfect eyesight now, there wasn't much else.

"I am." He said softly, taking her hand in his. "Aside from the fact I feel a little naked without my glasses." She smiled and set his glasses on the bedside table.

"'Ow will zis work when you're at school?" She asked, her expression darkening at the mention of school.

"I don't know."

"Do you zink everyone knows?" He shook his head.

"Hard to believe Dumbledore would go around parading something like this. Although…it wouldn't surprise me if the students got wind of my err…condition somehow." Fleur looked at him questioningly and he pressed on. "That night…" He faltered and she squeezed his hand gently. "That night Malfoy must have been there. I'm willing to bet my life on it. If he knows, I'm sure his son does too."

"Would 'e really spread somezing like zat around?" She asked worriedly. He snorted.

"He will do anything that will make me look bad in front of everyone else. The people there will believe anything." Catching sight of her pained expression he sighed and shook his head with a humorless smile. "I don't care. That place means nothing to me anymore." She nodded and leaned into him as they both were lost in their own thoughts for a while, forgetting about the fact that they needed to be downstairs for dinner. She suddenly looked up again, watching him as he turned to her curiously.

"You look different without zem. Your glasses I mean. I like eet." He frowned and touched the area around his eyes, he didn't exactly take note of his face being far more shocked by the glow in his eyes.

"Really?" He asked worriedly. "I don't think it's permanent, I me-" He was cut off abruptly when she leaned closer, her soft lips finding his. Closing his eyes he let her push him back onto the bed so that she was lying on top of him.

"You're still ze same as ever." She said softly, drawing away just a little so their lips were still touching lightly, whispering against one another. "Eet was ze normal 'Arry Potter I fell in love wiz, ze one wiz glasses zat I…" She closed the distance again before drawing away after a few moments, taking his glasses from the bedside table and gently pushing them onto his face again. "…bumped into at ze world cup." She grinned at the smile spreading across his face before rolling off him and taking his glasses off his face again. "Now come, zey will be wondering what's taking us so long."

Shaking his head in amusement he took her offered hand and allowed her to pull him off the bed. Hedwig who had returned on the same day Sirius and Lupin had dropped by flew over and perched on his shoulder, hooting softly.

Understanding what she wanted he stroked her feathers softly murmuring something Fleur couldn't make out making her rub her head against his cheek affectionately. He had closed the window for the night since it was getting too chilly and he went towards it and opened it. After nipping his ear softly she took off into the night and after watching her disappear from view he came back and gave Fleur a questioning look who was watching him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"What?" He asked as they left the room.

"Should I be jealous of you and 'edwig?" She asked with a smirk and he grinned back.

"If you want to be." Her smirk grew wider and she suddenly drew closer to him and placed her lips on his ear making him shiver in delight.

"No...I zink I can do a lot more to you zan 'Edwig ever could." She whispered seductively before walking off leaving him rooted on the spot. Stopping after a few steps when she found he was not beside her she turned back and started laughing at the blush that had formed on his face. Shaking her head in amusement she went back and took his hand, tugging him downstairs with her. It wasn't like what she said was a lie after all. He was still a little too innocent, but that was going to change.

Downstairs they found the rest of the family waiting with annoyed looks on their faces. Mumbling their apologies they took their seats and soon dinner went on as normal. It truly felt like how a real family should, Dominique sometimes complaining about his work or sharing something interesting that happened to him, Alana content to talk to Harry and find out more about him which was something Fleur was happy in helping her with, although she always scowled whenever Alana and Apolline in turn gave Harry some stories about Fleur in her childhood which had him laughing despite the painful pokes he got from an annoyed Fleur.

After dinner Apolline had made it a routine to tease the two about their sleeping arrangements which had them both wishing they could sink to the floor and disappear. It wasn't like they could help it, but neither ever woke up without Apolline waking them. Even Harry who rarely slept past 8 was now as bad as Fleur in that respect and each and every time Apolline woke them up they were in rather compromising positions that neither could ever do a good job of explaining.

Once they were back upstairs Fleur entered his room after about half an hour which she took to get ready for bed to find him leaning against the pillow on his bed with his Charms book open.

"Hey." He murmured as she walked in, grinning when she got onto the bed and rolled over placing her head on his lap and thereby interrupting his reading.

"Studying?" He chuckled and set aside the book.

"Was." She laughed and sighed contently when she felt his hands running through her hair as he unconsciously started playing with it.

"Caroline and ze ozzers want to know when we can visit zem." She said after a few moments of silence.

"Anytime…although…do you think we could finish Diagon Alley up first?" She nodded. She could see that he wanted that done and out of the way as soon as possible. She didn't like the thought of him venturing there, not when the people would be treating him like dirt due to the papers but still it was important.

"We can go in a few days." She offered.

"Yeah…that sounds good. And do you mind if we stayed with Sirius for a day?"

"Of course not!" She assured him. "Eet means a lot to 'im and besides, we can see ze twins too." He nodded absentmindedly.

"The others…" He began.

"We will not worry about zem." She said firmly, knowing exactly who he was talking about. He sighed and nodded, leaning back against the bed with his hands still absently running through her hair eliciting a content purr from her that made him chuckle. Pinching his arm lightly she snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes letting her mind wander.

Hermione, Ron…she knew Harry didn't want anything more to do with them but she also knew that he didn't want to completely shut them out, namely Hermione. She had observed the girl closely over her time in Hogwarts and from what she could gather, her heart was in the right place despite the fact that she had a few faults.

But that was the problem, Harry was not normal and what may seem like trivial matters to others were things that hurt him the most. She had been there for him in Hogwarts every time he had broken down and she was more than terrified by the thought that this time around, she wouldn't be there for him or he for her. He hardly ever opened up to anyone other than her and a few other people. He always wore an expressionless mask when he wasn't with her, her friends or Sirius and Lupin.

Even then they both knew that even with the select few people they opened up to, no one apart from themselves would ever see the side they displayed only to each other. Even Aurélie and the others have never and would never see Fleur behave the way she does when she's alone with Harry and at the same time, they would never see Harry behave the way he did when he was alone with Fleur.

She'd never forget the look on his face the time he'd told her about how his so called best friends had behaved. No matter what, she could never find it in her to forgive anyone who had hurt him. Mrs. Weasley, the woman who tried to separate them was a person she outright hated. The others…even if Harry could forgive them, she could never do it.

She held them responsible for the way he'd turned out. Each and every one of them. Beginning from the muggles that raised him, making him believe that he was nothing more than a freak to his friends who weren't there when he needed them the most. She blamed them for his disregard of his own life. How many times had he risked jeopardizing his life for the sake of others just last year? First for her, then for Charlie Weasley and a few wizards he barely knew about, then for Aurélie and then for Cedric.

"Fleur?" Her eyes snapped open to find him watching her with a small frown on his face. "What's wrong?" She opened her mouth to speak, to say that nothing was wrong but she found she couldn't do it. After staring at him for a few moments she closed her eyes again.

"Eet's nozzing." She said softly. She felt him shift under her and could almost feel his piercing gaze on her. She felt his hand gently caress her cheek and unconsciously a small smile played on her lips and she opened her eyes to find him watching her intently. She loved the feeling of his hands. Despite the years of Quidditch training and everything else he'd done they were still soft.

"Just worried about 'ow it will be later zis year." She murmured. He nodded slightly with a sad smile but remained quiet. After a few moments she slowly readjusted herself so her head was on the pillow and an arm was wrapped around his chest. No more words were exchanged as they drifted off to sleep, taking comfort in each other's presence.

* * *

The next few days passed with little incident. Fleur still made sure they spent more than half their time outside than they did inside and at times Gabrielle accompanied them too and very rarely, Apolline although upon reaching the town she would disappear to find her friends leaving the couple on their own.

Harry kept trying to study at random times. True, he was as prepared as he could hope for but the old feeling of anxiety for exams kept forcing him to take up one of his books and go through them. Both Fleur and Gabrielle took it upon themselves to distract him as best they could. Fleur being the most effective seeing as she was his weakness. She always left him in a daze and it was quite easy for her to tug whatever book he had in his hand out. In the end taking pity on him she allotted time in which she helped him study.

On a bright and early Tuesday morning they left for the French ministry with Dominique. They'd informed Sirius the day before that they were coming back to take care of things in Diagon Alley and they were to meet up with Lupin and a few other people at the Leaky Cauldron who were to escort them to number 12 in the evening. Dominique insisted on accompanying them through the portkey which was unfortunately connected to the English ministry this time.

This would be the first time he was facing the public again after seeing what the papers were writing about him. Who knew what more the papers had written about him over the span of last week? He had a pretty good idea of what to expect from people and was more than thankful that he had Fleur by his side. He wasn't stupid, he knew the reason why Dominique was accompanying them to the English ministry was for him and for that he was extremely grateful.

Taking a deep breath he grasped the handle of the portkey as he, Fleur and Dominique gathered around it. A few seconds later he felt the familiar jerk below his navel and the room they were in along with the people became a blur and a rush of colors. A few seconds later than he was used to his feet slammed onto the ground and he lost his balance but someone quickly grabbed his shoulder, steadying him and he looked gratefully up at Dominique who smiled slightly. Fleur was for once not giggling at Harry and he felt her draw up beside him, her hand finding his.

It was only then that he looked around to see that they were in a large room a lot similar to the one they'd left although the tiles and walls were not the midnight blue that were at the French ministry, they were black.

He looked up warily, taking note of the silence as he felt the penetrating gazes of everyone around him and mutterings that were growing louder and louder by the second. There were a multitude of faces, all of which were fixed on him. He thought he saw a hint of red hair in the crowd that looked familiar before it disappeared.

"_Let's go." _Dominique muttered stiffly, his hand on Harry's shoulder. They slowly made their way through the crowd that was muttering darkly, their eyes fixed on them and they quickened their place. Fleur's presence helped him relaxed somewhat, letting him keep his head held high.

Dominique swiftly led the way followed by Harry and Fleur. A few reporters tried to converge on them but Dominique gave them a dangerous look which made them back away.

They came across what Harry presumed was the Atrium. There was a large monument at the middle and there were a multitude of people in purple cloaks walking around mixed in with the huge crowd. They were able to avoid much of the staring in the crowd but Fleur stood out quite a bit. However they were moving quick enough that just as people were starting to recognize who they were, they had already gone.

The place was huge and Harry noticed that unlike the French ministry which consisted of hundreds of floors leading skywards, the place seemed to be leading underground. They soon came across a large area in front of the Atrium that had fireplaces placed around them, about 50 or so which kept flaring up every 3 seconds or so as someone stepped through it or appeared.

Dominique led them to the very end of the hall where there were a few fireplaces which seemed to be less active than the rest that were closer to the Atrium. As soon as one became free they walked up to it and Dominique turned around to look at both of them.

"Alright, you two will be going to the Leaky Cauldron and then to Diagon Alley right?" Harry nodded. "Once you two are done you are to meet Remus at the Leaky Cauldron in the afternoon and he will take you two to number 12." He smiled slightly as he moved to give his daughter and Harry a hug who was a bit embarrassed yet pleased. "Be careful alright?" They nodded and he gripped Harry's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't let these people get you down alright?"

"I won't." He replied with a small smile.

"And take care of Fleur. I don't want to hear about anything happening between you two just because we're not there…"

"Papa!" Fleur exclaimed looking scandalized and he grinned. Harry couldn't help it as he chuckled softly.

"Don't worry about having to come back through here. You two will be able to port back to France straight from number 12." Harry heaved a small sigh of relief. "Remember, the portkey is set to bring you two back at 6 in the evening tomorrow."

"We know papa." Fleur sighed. After exchanging final farewells Harry went first, grabbing a fistful of the floo powder from the small container attached to the wall near him, standing at the fireplace he said clearly "The Leaky Cauldron" and dropped the powder at his feet and felt the familiar rush of warmth as green flames engulfed him followed by the not so pleasant sensation of the worst form of magical travel.

It lasted only a few seconds and he was unprepared as always as the sensation stopped and he landed sprawling on the soft mat in front of the fireplace of the crowded pub. The fireplace used for floo travel was thankfully set at the corner which only had a few tables around it. Yet he still did attract some sniggers as he got off the floor. He kept his face turned away and from the looks of it, no one had recognized him yet and if he could, he planned to keep it that way.

Another emerald flash later a small smile lit up his face as his silver haired goddess stumbled out from the grate. She had managed to remain upright but was losing her balance and he quickly wrapped his arm around her waist keeping her from falling as he had.

She smiled up at him and planted a swift kiss on his lips as thanks before taking his hand again and the two slowly made their way through the crowd, uncomfortably aware that the chatter was slowly getting quieter and quieter as eyes turned on them. It wasn't everyday a veela entered the pub. Unfortunately the eyes found Harry too and he could almost hear the idiots putting two and two together as they finally recognized who he and the woman beside him was. The Daily prophet along with the tabloid magazines had nothing better to do than to expose as much of his life to the public after all.

"Move on please." He recognized the voice belonging to Tom, the elderly barman. Slowly the crowd dispersed but the eyes were still on them as Tom came up to them with his usual toothy smile. "Good morning to you Mr. Potter, and you too dear lady." He added to Fleur who smiled back. "What can I get for you today?"

Harry was slightly taken aback to find that Tom was behaving the same as ever towards him and returned his smile. "Nothing today, just passing through."

"If you want a more…" Tom looked around at the crowd that was still muttering amongst themselves frequently casting their looks on the couple in front of him. "Private setting than this, it can be arranged."

"No, we have a few things to do…" Harry said apologetically. They'd already had breakfast before they left for the French ministry with Dominique. "Thanks for the offer though."

"It was my pleasure." The man bowed and stepped aside letting them pass through. Once they were out back in front of the brick wall leading to Diagon Alley he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Let's just get zis over wiz 'Arry." Fleur said softly "Ignore zem." He looked at her and smiled a little sadly and nodded.

"Sorry about dragging you into all this." She frowned and pinched his hand making him wince but his smile gained some humor. Wordlessly he took out his wand and tapped the wall like he had done so many times back in his third year and the two watched as they bricks parted letting sunlight stream through as they gazed at the crowded narrow street. Sighing in resignation he started forward, his hand unconsciously gripping Fleur's more firmly as they slowly made their way through the crowd.

This time it wasn't so bad, the people were more intent in the shops than to stop and stare at them and apart from a few lecherous looks thrown Fleur's way and a few widening eyes as Harry made his way past them, it was almost normal.

"I need to take you to ze magical part of Paris." Fleur said thoughtfully as they made their way towards the marble white building that stood out at the end of the Alley.

"Is it like this or…?" He asked curiously.

"Hmm…Eet is a lot more bigger zan zis, more room to walk in." She said, wrinkling her nose and pressing herself as close as humanly possible to him so she wouldn't walk into any of the people walking around them.

"One of the things we'll do as soon as we get back?" She smiled brightly at him and nodded.

Soon they were climbing up the steps to Gringotts and they entered the large hall with the goblins sitting on either side going about their work. They approached one of the counters and the goblin looked up, irritation written clearly on his face.

"What?" It grunted.

"I need to visit my vault." He replied, fixing it with a bored look. The goblin's eyes widened as it recognized who he was.

"Key?" He placed it on the counter and it examined it before nodding. "Follow me please." They fell into step behind it and they reached the dark tunnels with the carts. He laughed when he saw Fleur's eyed it apprehensively before they got in and the breakneck journey deeper into the depths commenced.

He thought Fleur would break his hand off with her vice like grip as they hurtled along the tracks. Once they reached his vault she breathed a sigh of relief and punched him lightly on his shoulder when he was looking at her in amusement.

He took more than he usually withdrew before the start of each year in Hogwarts this time from his vault and one more high-speed ride to the surface later they were back out in the sun. Deciding Ollivander could wait about an hour longer he took her to Florean's ice cream parlor where Mr. Fortescue welcomed one of his favorite customers back with a large smile.

Harry was embarrassed when he had to introduce Fleur to Mr. Fortescue but he felt he did it properly when Fleur kissed him as soon as the man had turned around to find them a table. Introducing her as his girlfriend was something that gave him a profound sense of happiness which made him light headed.

Once their ice creams were done they finally made their way to Ollivander's shop. No matter how many times Harry had seen it, the shop seemed to frozen in time. Knocking softly he entered as the bell dinged and the two walked into the darkened area where in front of them was a long narrow corridor with shelves that reached the ceiling all fit to burst with long thin cases.

"Good morning." A quiet voice broke the silence and despite the warning Harry had given to Fleur that the old man liked to surprise his customers just a half hour ago, she jumped and her grip tightened on his hand momentarily. Mr. Ollivander walked out from the space from which he'd seemingly appeared out of nowhere and his expression immediately brightened when he recognized who it was. "Ah it's Mr. Potter and Miss Delacour. I've been expecting you two for a while now."

"Bonjour Monsieur Ollivander." Fleur said with a smile as Ollivander took her hand and bowed.

"Nine and a half inches. Rosewood. Containing a single hair from a veela. Excels in Charms." He said softly and she nodded. Then he turned to Harry. "If I can have your wand Mr. Potter?"

He gave his wand and the old wandmaker examined it closely. The wand once again was surrounded by the fiery red glow before it took on the blue although this time Harry noticed that the blue shone a lot more brighter than the red.

No one spoke as Ollivander continued his ministrations and finally he looked up with, his eyes gleaming in excitement. "Miss Delacour, if I may…could I have a look at your wand too please?" Fleur looked puzzled but nevertheless she gave him her wand too and after a few moments of him examining it, it took on an almost identical blue glow to the one Harry's wand had and her eyes widened in surprise.

Returning her wand to her he placed Harry's wand on the counter before walking away wordlessly leaving both of them staring in surprise. He came back fairly quickly with a rather large chest tucked under his arm and waved his wand making two comfortable looking chairs appear behind them. "Please, have a seat."

Once they were seated the wandmaker went to the entrance and closed the blinds, turning over the sign that said 'open' so that now it read as 'closed' from the outside. Walking back he sank into a chair that appeared behind him and taking Harry's wand from the counter at the same time. Harry had hardly ever seen the old wandmaker look so excited.

"As it appears Mr. Potter, your problem seems to be quite easy to solve."

"Oh?" He nodded and handed the wand back to Harry.

"The key lies with this young lady right here." Ollivander smiled at Fleur who looked confused just as Harry was.

"I…I don't follow." She said uncertainly. He chuckled and leaned back in his chair.

"I have devoted my entire life to the forging of wands." He began. "What I have found is that when it comes to this branch of magic, there are so many things that are possible. So many things that we have never thought of."

"When you first entered my shop Mr. Potter, I told you that we use 3 types of cores for wands. Dragon heartstring, tail hair of a unicorn or a feather from a phoenix. As you know now those are not the only types of cores that can be used." Harry nodded in understanding as did Fleur.

"As with Miss Delacour whose wand contains the hair from a veela…it's from your grandmother if I remember correctly?" He added questioningly and she nodded. "There are a number of items we can use as cores. Demiguise hair, dragon scales, griffin feathers…the list is endless and the resulting wands vary greatly in power and traits."

"There are certain factors that need to be taken into consideration however. Right now there are more than a billion wands around the world that will never have the witch or wizard that it is looking for. Why? They look for specific traits in their master. What we always fail to realize is that magic is a lot more closely connected with our feelings, emotions…what makes as who we are…magic plays a large part in determining everything." He smiled at the two and shook his head slightly.

"I'm getting a little sidetracked here. Back to the matter at hand. Mr. Potter, your connection that you have with your wand is far weaker than it should be. It has weakened more since I last examined it at the weighing of the wands."

"But…its fine, I…" Harry was extremely fond of his wand and he didn't like what he was hearing. What happened at the graveyard and brought back his parents was something that made him hold his wand in reverence. A part of him hoped that he could trigger the same effects again although this time around, preferably not without any deranged dark wizards trying to kill him.

"Your wand is still your own." He assured him. "What I mean is that there is a lot of room for improvement." He fell silent and turned back to Fleur. "Have you ever held Miss Delacour's wand?" Both Harry and Fleur's eyes widened at the question.

"Erm…yes I did." Harry said and Ollivander nodded as if he expected nothing more.

"And? You know the feeling of how a wand repels someone right?" Harry could only remember too well, having caused a substantial amount of damage to the shop when he had been trying wand after wand trying to find the one best suited for him.

"Yes."

"Did her wand do that?" Harry frowned slightly, the old man knew something.

"No…It felt like when I first held mine." Ollivander's face grew into a wide smile, his eyes sparkling in excitement.

"That answers a lot of my suspicions. This may seem a little rude but am I right in assuming that you two are closer than when I met you at the weighing of the wands?" Both of them blushed at the same time. Harry scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"We are together." Ollivander nodded smiling widely.

"I am happy for the two of you." He said sincerely and both of them mumbled their thanks, fighting to get rid of the blushes covering their faces. "You may be wondering what this has to with anything. The answer as I've said, lies with Miss Delacour. I believe the core that will bring your wand back to its perfect connection with you is extremely similar to the one that resides in Miss Delacour's wand."

"Veela 'air?" Fleur blurted out in surprise.

"I am now a hundred percent sure." Harry looked like he was at a loss for words. "It is not a coincidence that Miss Delacour's wand responds the way it does to you. If I'm right, and I rarely am wrong about these things, a single hair from a specific veela will solve the problem you have with your wand." Fleur's expression hardened when he mentioned 'specific veela', something that both Harry and Ollivander noticed and the old wandmaker smiled knowingly.

"Veela hair being used for wands is extremely rare. I believe there are only about 14 wands in existence counting yours Miss Delacour that contain veela hair. Even then I believe 13 of those wands are hereditary, passed down from grandmother to mother to daughter and so on. Yours was custom made for you. There have never been records of a witch or wizard using a wand containing hair from a veela."

"The reason for this is because veela hair will only function as a core if the donor already has a strong connection with the wielder of the wand. Your wand's core came from your grandmother Miss Delacour, it works for you because as with all family, your grandmother loves you." Harry's eyes widened as he realized what Ollivander was getting at as did Fleur's as a small smile played across her lips.

"You mean…" Harry began and the old wandmaker chuckled.

"A single hair from Miss Delacour will be the answer to your problem Mr. Potter." Ollivander sighed. "Magic works in mysterious ways. This goes to show just how much we don't know about it even after all these years."

Harry gazed at Fleur, not knowing what to say. She smiled softly at him and keeping her eyes fixed on him she slowly pulled one strand of her hair which she placed in the container Ollivander gave to her. It was extremely long, not surprising given that her hair reached her waist and it seemed to shine with a light of its own as Ollivander closed it, gazing at it almost reverently.

"If you will leave your wand with me for a few hours, it will be done." Harry nodded. "Wait though, I need you to do something." They watched curiously as the wandmaker opened the chest at his feet. It was filled with blocks of wood, varying in colors from pure white to a black that looked almost blue. "Holly will not be able to support both cores together. I will have to reforge your wand from scratch so please place your hand over these blocks of wood and let me know if you feel a pull to any of them."

Harry slowly ran his hand over the blocks, feeling slight pulls at some but something told him to keep going. He felt a very strong pull from a pure black block of wood and almost stopped before he felt his hand move of its own accord towards the pure white block lying right next to it. He gently traced it with his finger and looked up at Ollivander.

"I must say that I'm not surprised that particular piece stood out to you."

"What is it?" Ollivander smiled and shook his head.

"These are some of the rarest wood in existence Mr. Potter, every wandmaker likes to have their secrets and I'm afraid I will not be telling you where that particular one came from. Rest assured however that the prices I had to pay to obtain it, along with all the pieces in this chest, were extremely high and I'm not talking about galleons." There was no trace of annoyance or anger in his tone and Harry understood that this was something that was private to the old wandmaker. He respected his privacy although he, like Fleur whose eyes were gleaming bright with curiosity, wouldn't mind at all learning what they were.

They were shooed out of the shop by the Ollivander who looked anxious to get started on the wand. They were told to come back in 3 hours and the door shut abruptly behind them once they were outside, the closed sign still in place.

"Shall we go to ze place you got ze necklace now?" Fleur asked as they slowly mixed in with the crowd of people who were hurrying here and there. Harry had momentarily forgotten about that.

"Yeah." They walked slowly, taking in the sights as they did. They did have 3 hours to kill after all. "Hey Fleur?"

"Hm?" She turned to look at him.

"Thank you…for the wand." He said haltingly.

"Eet was nozzing. But…are you sure you want my 'air in your wand? Won't zere be somezing zat will be better?" She had been worried about that although she hadn't said it back there. It was her hair after all, how good could that be?

"I like the thought of having a part of you with me." He said quietly and his eyes widened in surprise before they slowly shut as he felt himself get pulled towards her, his lips claimed by her in a tender kiss in the middle of the crowded street as her arms came up around his neck. A few moments later they pulled apart and she wordlessly tugged his hand, continuing on their way paying no heed to the people around them.

Fleur had to literally pull Harry away from the Quality Quidditch Supplies store where a brand new racing broom was on display, the Firebolt 1000. Along the way they came across many familiar faces from Hogwarts. Harry's face hardened when he caught sight of Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan staring at them. To both Harry and Fleur's disappointment, they didn't see any of the people they wanted to which was understandable seeing as the list was very small.

It took a while for them to find the shop that they were looking for. Harry was after all, quite unfamiliar with the part of Diagon Alley where the shop was and had only walked into it by pure chance last year. Finally to both their delight, they found it and Harry held the door open for Fleur to enter first before following.

"How may I help you?" A friendly voice that Harry found familiar called and the familiar old man walked in from the back of the shop and catching sight of Harry his face broke into a smile. "Harry Potter! You've changed a lot since the last time I saw you lad."

"Mr. Keep right?" The man nodded happily.

"I'm honored that you remembered. And who might this fair lady be?" Harry grinned.

"Fleur Delacour, she is…"

"The recipient of the necklace I sold you." Keep finished, eyeing the gleaming emerald stone which was visible on her neck. "If I'm not mistaken…" His eyes widened when Harry drew out his own pendant which was hidden beneath his shirt. He looked at it for a few moments then back at Fleur's before throwing his head back and laughing loudly. "I had a feeling…I just had a feeling…"

"We were hoping that you could tell us what this meant?" Harry asked and the shopkeeper nodded, his eyes bright. They could tell the man was immensely pleased about something.

"You are aware by now that those necklaces aren't exactly normal, even by our standards." They nodded. "I told you when you bought this Mr. Potter that it was surprising you noticed this. In truth, I was shocked that _someone_ finally noticed it after all the years it had been on my shop."

"What do you mean?" Fleur asked, genuinely interested. The man leaned forward and gestured towards to seats at the corner.

"I suppose I'll start from the beginning." He said as they sat down. "Forgive me, but I feel even my knowledge is limited. Oh…just a minute." He stood up again and disappeared to the back of the shop. They only had to wait a few minutes before he came back.

"I don't think either of you have heard about the guardian stones?" Harry shook his head and he could see from the blank expression on Fleur's face that she didn't either. "That is what the stones on your necklaces are called." Keep said with a smile.

"The reason why I was so surprised you noticed this when you came in is simply because well…you did." Catching sight of the confused looks on the couple's face he hastened to explain.

"There is something about it that doesn't let just anyone walk away with. Even I didn't believe it at first when I acquired it. I am not usually one to look deep into these things, that was my father. He was always going on about magic. How it did things for us, pointed us in the proper way. Supposedly the stones will only make themselves visible to you if you genuinely care about another. Let me tell you now Mr. Potter, that to me, the necklace you bought that day did not have either a green or blue stone on it." Harry's eyes widened.

"Is that why it cost so little?" He chuckled.

"I am a salesman. But let me assure you that I wanted you to have it." Harry looked slightly embarrassed and muttered an apology to which he waved his hand airily. "Don't worry about it, if I were you I would have picked up on the same thing."

"The stories go on to say that after certain conditions are met, the stones will bind the two people together." He then pointed at Harry. "What you have around your neck is a physical representation that shows that the conditions have been fulfilled. I don't think I need to go further into what those conditions are do I?" He added slyly, chuckling at the blushes that covered the couple's faces.

"This is only what I'd heard but the stones are meant to connect you two in a way that you will always feel the other's presence and that at any time you will be able to find each other by using the stones no matter where the other is." He then sighed exasperatedly. "I'm afraid this is where my knowledge about the stones comes to an end. I'm sure you could find more about this if you know where to look. I'm sorry I can't be of any further assistance." He finished apologetically.

"That's alright, you've been a lot of help sir. Thank you." Harry said with a smile and Fleur nodded in gratitude too as they got up. Both of them were quite pleased with what they'd heard and were content enough with what they'd learnt. The only puzzle for them that was left now was how Fleur's parents seemed to know about it. They could just get it out of them directly now that they weren't completely clueless.

"If I may…I think the two of you fit each other perfectly." Keep said as he shook Harry's hand. The two of them smiled sheepishly at the old man who grinned back before his expression became serious. "And…please don't take this the wrong way Mr. Potter, but there is something I must ask." Harry eyed the man curiously, waiting for him to go on. "Is _he_…really back?"

Harry didn't answer immediately and he felt Fleur come up beside him, taking his hand discreetly.. The question had been blunt and his tone didn't carry any sarcasm or malice behind it. He didn't need to know who 'he' was.

"All that I have said is true." He said quietly and the old man nodded.

"I lost more than half my family to that man. The people today have no idea who or what they are dealing with." Keep murmured, smiling sadly up at Harry. "Do not think we all have forgotten what you had done for us Mr. Potter. If there is any way I could be of help to you, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you." Harry said softly. The man nodded again and with one final bow, saw them out of his shop.

Seeing that they still had about an hour and a half before they were due back at Ollivander's, they decided to get a late lunch in a small café next to Madam Malkin's. The waiter, a blond haired man with a weak chin eyed him scathingly and stood a little closer than what was usually seen as socially fit next to Fleur eliciting a low growl from him. Fleur on the other hand gave the waiter a dangerous look and asked icily for him to move. The waiter scurried away and another one came to serve them instead a few minutes later.

They finished their food quickly, not taking time to just relax and talk like they always did back in France. Being under the gazes of everyone around just didn't make it appealing.

Thankfully time passed by quickly as they were walking around and they started making their way to Ollivander's once the 3 hours were up. Harry was slowly getting excited now, something which made Fleur smile as she noticed the way his eyes were gleaming. He couldn't help it, he felt like he was going to get his first wand all over again.

Almost as soon as they'd knocked the door opened and Ollivander quickly ushered them in.

"It's done." He said. Harry noticed that the man's looked extremely fatigued despite the smile he had on his face. "It came out better than I'd ever expected, I might even go so far as to say it's one of my finest creations yet." He disappeared to the back of the shop and came back holding black, long and thin box. Taking the lid off he offered it to Harry who stared at it in wonder.

His wand was not the usual brown anymore. It was white. It was a few shades darker than the pure white he'd seen on the block of wood though. What surprised him the most were a few extremely thin swirls of red at odd places looking as if it had been imprinted on. All in all he felt like he was looking at the best wand in the world.

"Go on." Ollivander prompted him and he slowly took the wand. He wasn't prepared for the rush of energy that surged through him as wand was reunited with him. A shower of blue and gold sparks shot out the end, exactly the same as the ones he'd produced with Fleur's wand. Ollivander looked like a child that had been given a brand new toy.

"I was unable to determine where this wand exceled at. All I can tell you is that this ranks among some of the most powerful wands I've made." Harry nodded slowly, still gazing at the wand.

"How much do I owe you." He asked. To his surprise Ollivander waved his hand airily.

"Nothing. It was my pleasure to do this Mr. Potter."

"But…"

"No charge." The old wandmaker said firmly. "The only thing I ask of you is that you take care of it and use it wisely."

"I will." Harry said. "Thank you."

"As I said, it was a joy to create this so no thanks is necessary." He said with a smile, leading them to the entrance. "Oh and make sure no one apart from you two comes into contact with it. Anyone who does will be faced with less than unpleasant repercussions."

Finally with everything done, they started making their way back to the Leaky Cauldron. Once inside they'd just started wondering how on Earth they were going to find Lupin in this crowd when they spotted his familiar face approaching them quickly, weaving through the crowds.

"Hey Remus." Harry said with a small grin as Lupin finally reached them.

"How you two doing? Listen, pleasantries later…let's put some distance between us and the crowd alright?" They followed Lupin as he led them out to muggle London. Lupin didn't say anything as he walked on briskly as they followed in his wake.

They finally came to a stop at a deserted alley and Lupin turned to them. "I know you are unfamiliar with this Harry but bear with me." He gripped Harry and Fleur's shoulders tightly and before Harry could get another word out he felt like he was being squeezed through and extremely narrow tube for a few seconds before it was suddenly gone again and he was taking in large gulps of fresh air, his knees shaking violently.

"W-what was that?" He asked.

"Congratulations on your first journey by apparition." Lupin replied with a grin.

"You okay?" Fleur asked softly and he nodded, not before throwing a scowl in Lupin's direction.

"I thought travelling by floo was the worst. This…this is…" He fell silent, struggling to find the proper word and she laughed. It was only then he noticed they were standing in a deserted looking street. He could hear the faint noise of a radio coming from the house at his right and looked questioningly at Lupin who took out two small scrolls and gave it to him and Fleur.

_Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix _

"Think about what you read." Lupin said and slowly the space between the two houses in front of him started widening slowly as another house was forcing its way through the small space between them. The radio in the other house went on as if there was no disturbance although he could see that both houses that were getting pushed were shaking.

Gesturing at them to follow Lupin strode up the front door and slowly turned the knob, taking care to make as little noise as possible. "Try not to trip over anything." He advised before opening the door wide and letting Harry and Fleur through first.

They were standing in a long, narrow corridor that was dimly lit. Something about the house gave Harry the creeps as they slowly walked taking care to make as little noise as possible. At the end of the corridor there was a sort of a clearing which he guessed was like the living room. The wall had an extremely large portrait which was covered with drapes and he noticed that Lupin took special care to tread slowly around it.

He felt Fleur stiffen and draw closer to him gazing up at something. Following her gaze his eyes narrowed when he saw there were about 12 house elf heads mounted on the wall.

"Remus…" He asked, coming to a complete stop and backing away slightly with Fleur, his hand in his pocket, gripping his wand. He felt it vibrating, as if trying to restrain itself from letting go. There was something off about this house, it felt like they were in the home of a dark wizard. "What are we doing here?"

Lupin turned around and stared at Harry for a few moments before a small smile formed on his face.

"Understandable. There is nothing to worry about Harry. I am R. J Lupin, a werewolf and I taught you back in your third year at Hogwarts. I was the one that taught you how to cast the Patronous charm which takes the form of a stag." He paused. "Let me get Sirius, he will explain everything." He nodded wearily but stayed his ground, his wand still gripped in his hand. Inwardly he was cursing himself for following blindly without questioning where they were going.

Lupin knocked on the door in front of them and barely 3 seconds later it burst open and Harry felt his heart lighten considerably when he saw his godfather.

"Finally, thought you two would never get here." They grinned as Sirius pulled them into a hug at the same time.

"'Ow are you?" Fleur asked. Harry slowly slipped his wand back in his pocket.

"Alright…" He was cut off by Lupin who muttered something in his ear and his face broke into a smile. "Glad that you were on guard Harry. Would have preferred if you checked before following Remus but I guess better late than never right?" Harry nodded sheepishly.

"Why…" He asked, gesturing vaguely at the house elf heads. Sirius's expression hardened.

"My parents were not exactly the pleasant sort. That…" He pointed at the heads. "Is tradition. When every house elf who served in the Black family home dies, they are given a place on the wall." He shrugged. "It's supposed to be an honor for them and let me tell you, the house elf we have now can't wait to take his place beside them."

"Zat's crazy!" Fleur exclaimed and he grinned at her.

"That house elf's crazy. Anyway…" He held the door open gesturing for them to go inside.

There was a table in the middle of the room and a fire blazing merrily at the side.

"Sirius I…oh hey Harry!" A woman with vivid purple hair and violet eyes exclaimed who was sitting on one of the chairs, a bunch of scrolls spread out around her on the table. She quickly waved her wand, getting rid of the scrolls before standing up.

"Umm…hi?" He said uncertainly and she smiled brightly, getting up and walking towards him.

"Tonks at your service." She then spotted Fleur and moved to greet her too while Sirius got an evil smirk on his face.

"Don't you mean _Nymphadora_ Tonks?" The effect was immediate, Tonk's hair turned a fiery red and she rounded on Sirius with a growl. In the blink of an eye Sirius was at the other side of the table, covering behind Lupin as she advanced on him. Fleur started laughing and even Harry had to struggle to keep his laughter contained. Sirius's face showed pure terror as did Lupin's.

"Better watch your back from now on." Tonks said threateningly as Sirius gulped audibly.

"Umm…she prefers to be known as 'Tonks'." Lupin said rather quietly. Both Harry and Fleur exchanged a look and nodded vigorously. Caroline's temper seemed almost cute when compared to Tonks.

"'Ow did you do zat?" Fleur asked curiously as Tonks's hair turned back to purple. Her smile hitched back on her face so fast that it was unnerving.

"I'm a metamorphmagus. We can change our appearance at will." She said proudly and her hair suddenly lengthened and turned a silvery white and her eyes shifted to blue just as her skin became paler. He felt Fleur stiffen slightly beside him.

"Can you learn to become one?" Harry asked, staring at her as she slowly reverted back to her original appearance again.

"No, you have to be born one I'm afraid." She then looked him up and down, nodding her head approvingly. "Don't know why you would want to be one though. You look just fine as you are." She finished with a wink making him blush slightly. Spotting Fleur's frown she added quickly "Just saying."

At that moment the door burst open and Harry stifled a groan as Fleur's face hardened when they saw who it was.

"Harry! How good to see you again dear." Mrs. Weasley said brightly, moving to embrace him. He remained perfectly still, taking note of the way she acted like Fleur wasn't even in the room. "There is a lot I've been meaning to talk to you about young man…"

"What about?" He asked shortly, shutting her up momentarily as she winced at his toneless voice before she regained her composure.

"Oh that can wait dear, I'm sure you're hungry. Dinner will be ready in about an hour...I've made another bed in Ron's room for you. They're all waiting to see you…oh and Miss Delacour? Hermione's room is all set for you too."

"That's alright Molly, they won't be needing those rooms." Sirius said cheerfully. Harry noticed that Tonks was trying and failing to hide her grin as she sat back, twirling a strand of her hair as she watched Mrs. Weasley who was slowly turning red. Lupin looked torn between annoyance and amusement.

Harry moved to stand beside Fleur and wrapped an arm around her waist making her grin up at him and leaned towards her ear. "_And here we go_" He murmured making her cough to hide her laughter. Mrs. Weasley froze momentarily, looking between the couple and Sirius who was regarding her with a bored expression on his face.

"Surely you don't mean to give them a room to themselves?" Mrs. Weasley asked dangerously.

"I was thinking the room we cleaned just today would be perfect."

"Are you crazy?" Mrs. Weasley hissed. "You mean to tell me they will sleep together?"

"It's what they want. Just a moment." He added, holding up his hand and Harry was impressed that he actually managed to stop Mrs. Weasley from speaking whose mouth was already open again. "This is my house and you are a guest here. This house is also as much as Harry's as it is my own so those two can sleep wherever they want. You need not be concerned about them." Then he turned to the couple and gestured with his head upwards.

"Second floor, door at the end of the corridor." He said with a smile. "I'm sure you want to get changed and freshen up." Harry nodded and muttered his thanks and the two left the kitchen uncomfortably aware of Mrs. Weasley's gaze on them. It was a relief when the door swung shut behind them, drowning out what he suspected was another outburst from her.

Fleur eyed the staircase leading up rather wearily and he understood why. The lamps along that lit the way why all shaped like serpent heads, candles lit in its mouth. Harry knew that Sirius was in a sense, an outcast in his own family. A Gryffindor in a pit of snakes.

"I don't like zis place." Fleur murmured softly as they quietly made their way up.

"Me either." He replied, just as quietly.

"Eet's 'ard to imagine…" She began and he turned, looking at her curiously. "I really can't see Sirius coming from a place like zis."

"I know. He did run away after all."

"You never told me zat."

"You never asked." He countered with a smirk and she grinned mischievously.

"Well…we do 'ave far better zings to do togezzer zan talk about your godfather." She got the desired effect as she watched the color rise in his cheeks but she didn't count on him leaning closer and pecking her cheek before whispering in her ear, "I agree."

She couldn't help the shivers of delight it sent down her back. Just over a few months ago he would never have done that. Her competitive wouldn't give in though as she pushed him against the wall, halfway up the stairs and put her arms around his neck.

"I won't be able to 'old out till we reach our room if you keep zis up." She whispered, her lips barely grazing his. "Even zough we spent ze whole day togezzer I feel like somezing is missing." He smiled wider and responded by pulling her closer to him, closing the distance between them. They were only allowed a few seconds of privacy when a loud crack next to them forced them apart.

"Well well, look here Fred." A familiar voice said.

"Barely just got here and they still can't seem to keep their hands off each other." Another almost identical one answered.

"Did your apparition exams zen?" Fleur asked, turning to look at the twins who were grinning broadly at them.

"Passed with distinction." George said brightly.

"The feeling of apparating, there's nothing like that in the world. You should try it Harry. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I could give you a firsthand experience." Fred said with an evil grin.

"Already did and no. I'm never apparating again. Ever." He said firmly making them gape at him.

"You can apparate already? Blimey…"

"Remus brought us 'ere by side along apparition." Fleur explained.

"Oh…that explains it. So how is it? Best feeling in the world right?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You two actually _like_ it?" Fred grinned and disappeared with another crack before appearing at the top of the stairs.

"'Course we do. We don't think we'll ever walk again."

"-If we can help it." George added. He shook his head. There was no point trying to understand them. Even Fleur was eyeing them incredulously. He knew she could apparate too but he'd never seen her do it even once over the summer.

"How did you two know we were here?" He asked when they reached the top of the stairs and started down the long corridor.

"We have our methods." Fred said and at the same time his and George's faces took on identical looks of horror before looking at each other in panic.

"What?" Fleur asked, looking at the two of them.

"Forgot something, we'll see you two later." George said hurriedly and without another word the two of them disappeared with loud cracks.

"Fred, George you…!" The door right next to them opened as Ginny Weasley came out with an extremely annoyed expression on her face. She fell silent when she caught sight of Harry and Fleur. "H-Harry…when did you umm, get here?" She stammered.

"A few minutes ago." This was probably the first few words he'd spoken to her in a very long time.

"Ginny?" Hermione's voice floated in from the room behind Ginny was standing with the door open behind her. Her mouth fell open in surprise when she saw them. "Harry! Fleur! We didn't know you two were going to be here." Ron's face appeared behind Hermione. "You two are going to be staying here for the rest of the summer then?"

"No, we're going back tomorrow." Harry said with a strained smile. Ron still hadn't improved at all as he was gazing at Fleur with a glazed look in his eyes. Fleur didn't say anything and instead just nodded at the group.

"Oh…" An uncomfortable silence settled before Hermione spoke again a little timidly. "Fleur, our room is the one behind you."

"Eet's alright, we already 'ave a room."

"We?" Ginny suddenly blurted out.

"We'll see you later." Harry muttered, choosing to ignore Ginny. Hermione looked disappointed but nodded all the same and she ducked back inside. Ron still hadn't moved an inch but he suddenly stumbled before disappearing from view. He had a funny feeling that Hermione had probably pulled him back. Ginny soon followed, swinging the door shut behind her unnecessarily loudly.

"That was fun." He murmured with a shrug. Fleur caught his eye and smiled rather sadly before taking his hand and pulling him with her down the dark corridor. Reaching the door at the end of the corridor he opened it cautiously, peering inside before stepping in with Fleur.

The room was large and spacious. A large bed was at the middle along with a small wardrobe at the corner. There was a large window at the side too however this didn't have a spectacular view like the one he or she had back in the Delacour home. All they could see out the window was a large brick wall.

"It's only for one night." Harry said softly and she smiled reassuringly at him.

"I don't care 'Arry. But I don't zink I would 'ave slept in 'ere on my own." He grinned back and she took out her wand, pointing it at the door which swung shut and locked itself. "I zink maman sent us some clothes…" She trailed off, moving towards the wardrobe.

As it turned out, Apolline had indeed sent them some clothes which was folded neatly inside the wardrobe. Taking turns to shower which had Harry looking like he had a fever when Fleur came out wearing nothing but a towel before grinning mischievously at him and disappearing from view behind a screen at the corner that he hadn't noticed in the room before.

Once they were done they found Sirius waiting outside their door with a smirk on his face.

"I have no problems with whatever you two do in there as long as silencing charms are up." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Just make sure you take the appropriate measures, I don't want Apolline raging on a warpath at me." Laughing at the expressions on the couple's face he backed away quickly, laughter dying in his throat when he caught sight of the unnervingly identical icy expressions on their faces.

Sirius took them around the house, giving them the tour. To say the place was big was an understatement. There was no way anyone would think this was anything more than a small apartment block from the outside.

"Why is this place being used as the headquarters?" Harry asked curiously, leaning back against the wall and watching Fleur petting Buckbeak, the hippogriff that Sirius had escaped on back in his third year that had now taken refuge in what used to be his mother's room. The hippogriff looked like it was having the time of its life as it lazily closed its eyes and Fleur looked like a little girl that had just been given a cuddly new pet.

"This is probably one of the safest magical dwellings in Britain. I'm serious!" He added when Harry looked disbelieving.

"Yeah you are…" Harry said with a small grin making Sirius groan. "How though?"

"My father took a lot of measures when building this place. Wards, enchantments…you name it. And also Dumbledore is the secret keeper here…that parchment you read?" Harry nodded. "That was his writing. Without his help no one will ever be able to walk in here."

"Why would your father do that though? Is it normal for a wizarding home to have so much protection?" He snorted.

"My father was paranoid. Even with all the pureblood ideals he kept up, I think he and the rest of my family were rather afraid of muggles."

Afterwards they were shown Sirius's old room. His godfather had taken a lot of bold steps to assert his difference from the rest of his family. The walls were covered with muggle posters of girls in bikinis and motorbikes, the bed had vivid scarlet hangings and the ceiling above them was engraved with a gold lion.

"I was a teenager Harry…" Sirius muttered when he raised an eyebrow, looking between a very suggestive poster of two girls and his godfather.

"Perverted dog." Soon afterwards they went back downstairs where along the way they ran into Kreacher, the house elf sworn to the house of Black. Upon catching sight of Harry, Fleur and Sirius it bowed low although it started muttering about 'dirty half bloods' and something to do with his mistress.

"That's enough." Sirius snapped. "Get out of my sight."

"Of course master, Kreacher does as he is told." It croaked. "Although he would much rather continue serving his mistress. Oh yes, Kreacher wishes Master Black didn't come back home."

"You aren't the only one that wishes for that." He muttered under his breath. Kreacher stayed where he was, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground. When Harry and Fleur passed him though he looked up, narrowing his eyes and gazing fixedly at Harry. All in all, Kreacher was the creepiest and most dislikable house elf he'd ever met. From the look on Fleur's face, she was probably thinking along the same lines.

"He has been on his own for a long time. Wouldn't surprise me if he was insane, taking orders from my mother and all." Sirius muttered when the two caught up to him as they started down the spiraling staircase.

"Your mozzer?" Fleur asked, puzzled.

"Oh, I keep forgetting you two haven't been properly introduced to that hag. Count yourselves lucky." He said in an undertone. "That's her." He said after a few moments, pointing at the large portrait that was still covered. "She's asleep for now, make enough noise…she wakes up. Let me tell you now that it isn't pleasant at all." Harry opened his mouth to ask something, but then fell silent again. He didn't know how to voice his question. Sirius however caught sight of this and sighed.

"As far as I'm concerned, she isn't my mother. Heck, your father's parents treated me like their own son. This woman hated me from the day I was born. I don't know why and I don't care." He shook his head and looked apologetically at Harry and Fleur who looked troubled. "Sorry for going off like that, she's a sore topic with me as is anything to do with my family and this house."

"It's alright." Harry said quietly.

"Let's get inside I guess. Dinner will be ready soon." Sirius said brightly, his dark expression brightening up so fast that it was alarming.

Sirius knocked twice before opening the door and they stepped inside. Tonks spotted them and waved cheerfully at them. Charlie Weasley was beside her and grinned broadly when he noticed them.

"Was wondering when I'd see you two again."

"You're in the Order too?" Harry asked and he nodded.

"Yeah. Me and Bill. And Fleur? There's something me and a lot of people back at the reserve want to thank you for."

"Me?" Fleur asked curiously, sinking into a seat beside Harry.

"Yeah…you remember the dragon you faced at the first task?"

"'Ow could I forget?" She asked with a grin while Harry and Charlie chuckled.

"That enchantment you cast over it, it changed it somehow. It used to be one of the most vicious dragons we had but now it's as tame as a Krup. We can even walk right up to it and touch it without fear of losing our heads." He shook his head in amusement. "If Hagrid knew about this he'd be in Romania in a heartbeat." Harry laughed, that sounded exactly like him.

"I didn't meant to…" Fleur began with a worried expression.

"Trust me, we love how it turned out. You on the other hand Harry would be in deep trouble if you ever came over."

"What! Why?" Charlie looked at him incredulously.

"Are you serious?" Harry smirked and Sirius caught sight of it from the other end of the table where he was sitting with Tonks and groaned loudly.

"Don't give him the chance." Fleur giggled and Charlie looked confused before a grin formed on his face, matching Harry's.

"Oh…But anyway, Harry you blinded our Horntail and as a result it's become much harder to contain than ever."

"I'm _sorry._ Maybe if it stopped trying to eat me for a few seconds I would have just ignored it." He said defensively. Charlie shrugged.

"It's not only you. Krum wounded our Fireball too. I hear that the organizers of the tournament are getting an earful from the reserve, demanding compensation. No one was expecting the dragons to come out with injuries."

They went on talking about the reserve and the dragons, a topic which Harry found interesting as did Sirius. Meanwhile Fleur had gotten into a conversation with Tonks who took the seat beside her.

More people came in as the minutes ticked by. Lupin joined them, taking a seat beside Sirius. He was curious about how Harry had fared on the night of the full moon. He looked surprised when Harry said that apart from his perfect eyesight, nothing much changed.

"You still need glasses though right?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, it was only on that night. When I woke up in the morning my eyesight was as horrible as usual."

"Strange…" He muttered, his brow furrowed.

"Did you get your wand sorted out Harry?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"Yeah." He replied, taking it out of his pocket. Everyone at the table except him and Fleur gasped when they saw it.

"Did you get a new one or something?" Sirius asked.

"No, although Ollivander did say he had to make it again from scratch so…" He shrugged.

"Still, a white wand…can't say I've seen many of those around. The red color is unusual too…how did he solve the problem though?" Lupin asked curiously. "Did you find another core for it?" Harry had already told him and Sirius about the problem with his wand when Ollivander had made him aware about it.

"Erm…yeah I did." He said quietly, catching Fleur's eye as both looked away blushing slightly. Silence settled over the table as four questioning gazes bored into him.

"Well? What is it?" Tonks asked eagerly. Sirius was waiting for an answer too, as was Lupin and Charlie. He felt Fleur's hand slip into his under the table and turned to her to see a small smile on her lips as she nodded ever so slightly.

"It's a single strand of hair…from Fleur." He said, grinning slightly when he saw the stunned expressions on their faces.

"No way." Charlie said in an awed voice.

"Veela hair can be used as wand cores?" Tonks asked, staring at Harry's wand.

"Oui, my wand 'as an 'air from my grandmozzer." Fleur said softly. Thankfully they all dropped the subject after that although Harry did see Sirius looking between the two of them with a smile on his face that looked strangely familiar. He couldn't place where he'd seen that look on Sirius's face but he was also sure he'd seen it somewhere before.

They were soon joined by Fred and George too who looked extremely annoyed and angry about something, taking their seats next to Harry. Before any of them could ask what was wrong however the door opened and Mrs. Weasley followed b, Ron, Ginny and Hermione came in. Sirius's smile which he had just a few seconds ago became fixed. Mr. Weasley followed soon after and didn't seem to notice the strange tensed atmosphere around him as he made his way over to Harry with his usual kindly smile.

"Harry, it's been a long time since I last saw you."

"You too Mr. Weasley." He replied, shaking his hand. Mr. Weasley nodded and turned to Fleur.

"A pleasure to meet you again Miss Delacour, Arthur Weasley." Fleur smiled and once the introductions were out of the way murmured conversations broke out between small groups as they waited for Mrs. Weasley, who was glowering at her husband set the table with the help of Tonks (despite a number of people's protests), Hermione and Ginny. Mr. Weasley had diffused the tension and Harry was grateful to him for it and he could tell by the genuine smile he had on his face that he bore no ill will to Fleur.

Mrs. Weasley glowered at them all through dinner although neither he nor Fleur took any notice of it. Tonks wanted to know more about the tournament and how they did the tasks to which both of them obliged. In return they got to learn more about Tonks. He was surprised that she was an Auror. Even though she was still a cadet it was impressive all the same.

Fred, George, Sirius, Charlie and somewhat Lupin although he was more concentrated on his food were all breaking out in laughter from frequently as Sirius detailed some of the pranks he'd pulled in school. Fred and George looked like they'd found the person they were going to look up to for the rest of their lives and Harry couldn't stop smirking at the thought of how their faces would look like if they found out that they were in the presence of two of Hogwart's Marauders.

Ron as usual looked unconcerned about all else but the food although Harry did catch him staring longer than necessary at Fleur at times when he thought no one was looking at him. Hermione and Ginny were huddled together, sitting with Ron across the table. The small attempts Hermione made to speak to him were awkward and strained, mainly due to the presence of Ginny who, even though she made no attempt to join in, stared at him in a way that made him extremely uncomfortable.

After the food was cleared up the earlier charged atmosphere had somewhat diminished. Fleur leaned closer to him and the two enjoyed the moment of peace as they quietly talked about what they'd do once they got back, priority being paying Aurélie and the others a visit. Mrs. Weasley was for once distracted and didn't have her eyes on the couple as she was instead having a quiet yet heated conversation with her husband who looked irritable.

Finally on unspoken agreement, the two of them got to their feet. Sirius looked up, momentarily distracted from his conversation with Lupin. Tonks had already fallen asleep at the table and almost everyone else's eyes were drooping shut. He himself wanted to get to bed but mostly the two of them wanted privacy, something which was virtually nonexistent with certain people in the vicinity.

Getting a nod and a rather suggestive wink from Sirius they quietly excused themselves. It was a relief to be out of the rather crowded kitchen, although the dark house wasn't exactly all that welcoming either.

"Do you believe what ze man said about zese?" Fleur asked as they started on the stairs. Harry looked at her and saw that she was lightly tracing her gleaming emerald stone with her fingers. He too unconsciously touched his chest, where his was and felt a warm tingle spread through his fingers as his hand made contact with it.

"I do." He murmured softly. "They…somehow I just feel like what he said were true." She nodded.

"'Ave you felt eet?" She asked. He turned to her, cocking his head sideways.

"What?" She sighed and placed a finger on his chest, touching the gleaming blue stone that was visible through his shirt. A pleasant sensation spread through him although he couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly. "Close your eyes." She said quietly as they came to a few feet away from their door.

He did and a smile lit his face when he felt her arms come around his neck and a second later he was seeing a multitude of colors which was making him light headed as he immersed himself in the unique taste of her lips.

Fleur was almost always the more aggressive one and this time was no different as she pushed him against the wall none too gently. All coherent thought was driven from his mind and he felt himself give in and respond with the same force, returning the kiss just as hungrily. She whimpered softly and he felt her tongue on his lips, gently parting them and asking for entrance to which he obliged. His knees grew weak and both their senses were getting sharper, increasing their pleasure tenfold and at the same time increasing their desire.

"YOU!" A loud voice rudely broke them apart and they turned to see Mrs. Weasley looking like she was on the verge of blowing up with Ginny, Hermione, Ron and the twins behind her. Harry felt a surge of anger in him before it was immediately cooled when he felt Fleur's lips on him again, this time on his neck turning his growl into a quiet sigh and making him tilt his neck, allowing her more access.

Fighting to keep his eyes open he tried to focus on the group of people at the end of the corridor. They were all standing there, frozen as Fleur slowly continued upwards, pausing slightly and demonstrating exactly how thin the line between pleasure and pain was. The rational part of his mind wanted to push her away, especially seeing their audience but everything else in him was content to give in…which he did.

Suddenly the door behind them leading to their room opened and Fleur pushed him through it, breaking away momentarily and he could see she had her wand in hand. Behind them Mrs. Weasley had started towards them but the door slammed shut again with a deafening bang at her face and he heard a number of clicks as the door was tightly secured. Fleur flicked her wand at the door again and it glowed a pale blue before she pushed him to the bed.

Her eyes were much darker than the usual blue he was used to. She was emitting a pearly white glow making her look if possible, more beautiful than ever as she crawled onto the bed and straddled him.

"Fleur…we." His body was screaming in protest against his mind which was trying to grasp what was going on. She silenced him in her own way before drawing back slightly, breathing hard.

"I need to do zis." She whispered. "We won't go too far, I know we aren't ready for zat. But zere is somezing I need to do." He only hesitated a moment longer, remembering what Apolline had told him and what Alana had told him about what made them different.

"Okay." He said quietly, gazing at her and wondering for the millionth time how he'd ended up getting someone like her to himself. She took his lips again and this time, the rational part of his mind was gone and he was making no effort to get it back.

All the while he was vaguely aware that the heat in the room was increasing. He didn't know when but one of her hands had slipped under his shirt and was gently tracing his scars.

Seized by a sudden desire to return what she was doing to him he moved slightly and kissed her neck just as she had done him. She moaned slightly before tilting her head invitingly to which he immediately obliged. He didn't know why, but while he was doing this it felt like he was…claiming her. Making her his. This thought emboldened him further and with the sounds Fleur was making, she was not at all against this.

Fleur didn't let him keep serving her for long. She firmly took his hands, pinning them above his head with her own before moving down to kiss him again. Fleur's glow was brighter now and as he felt her warm lips move again, shifting towards her neck again, he knew just then what she was going to do as she paused and looked at him. He could see nothing but love reflected in her eyes and he knew she was asking him for permission. Smiling slightly he nodded and she slowly moved down again, kissing her way downwards until she came to a stop at the point connecting his left shoulder and neck.

He felt a burning sensation as her lips made contact at that point. It was slightly painful, as if that bit of skin was being exposed to a naked flame. A few seconds later it was gone and Fleur's glow slowly dimmed until it was gone and she collapsed on him, panting hard. She wasn't the only one, Harry felt like he'd just been put through 6 of Sirius's training sessions one after the other.

A few minutes later she slowly got up again, still straddling him and he could she looked a little…afraid? Following her eyes he looked down at the point where he'd felt the burning sensation and his eyes widened.

There was a bluish white wing etched on his left shoulder, just below his neck. He looked up at Fleur and she wordlessly lowered the neck of her blouse, exposing the bit of her shoulder to him and he saw the same wing there, except this one was mirroring his.

"'Arry I…" She began softly.

"Was that the mark?" She nodded.

"Oui, I…" She began again but fell silent.

"What?" He asked gently. She looked like she was going to cry.

"Ze mark…Eet is a form of binding. Eet is what we do to put our claim over who we 'ave chosen." He laughed and she looked surprised momentarily.

"I don't see the problem."

"But I should 'ave told you before I did eet!" She yelped. "'Arry I lost control. When you 'ave ze mark eet is permanent. No one else will be able to approach you ze way I do ever again. What if in ze future you decide zat you would rather be wiz someone el…"

"Don't say that." He growled, his eyes narrowing and she flinched. "You think after everything you've done for me I'd even think about letting you go?" She looked like someone had hit her over her head and she didn't speak for so long that he began to get worried.

"Fleur?" He asked, his anger long gone. She suddenly started giggling before it became full blown laughter as she collapsed back on him, burying her face in his neck.

"Eet used to be I zat gave you zat lecture back zen." She murmured softly after she'd calmed down. He grinned, remembering all the times she'd had to assure him that what she felt for him was real and that she'd never leave him. It was amusing in a way and unbelievable to him that _he _was now assuring her in turn. He still didn't understand how she could have those insecurities. She could have anyone she wanted and the fact that she was actually worried that he would choose someone else over her was laughable.

"I guess…but I don't want to be in that role. It's you that has to keep lecturing me." She drew back with a mock stern expression which was ruined by the tears in her eyes.

"Do I 'ave to do so again?" She asked, a smile growing on her face when he wiped away her tears with a small frown.

"Not anymore."

"Good." She sank back, nuzzling into his neck again.

"So er…" He began. She looked up to find a small blush on his face. "This shows that I'm yours?" She grinned and kissed his cheek.

"Oui, zat mark is recognizable by any veela and I suppose people will know eet when zey see eet, if zey know about ze veela of course. Ze mark I 'ave shows zat I am yours. I zink with eet we will be able to find each ozzer no matter where we are…we'll 'ave to ask my mozzer about zat." He nodded and mumbled something that was too quiet for her to hear.

"What?" She asked and he looked up. She almost burst out laughing, even with how much he'd changed, he still had retained the ability to go bright red on his face whenever he let something slip.

"I said I like the sound of that." She leaned down, capturing his lips in a slow, tender kiss before turning and throwing the bedcovers over them and resting her head with a content sigh on his shoulder, draping an arm and a leg over him. They hadn't changed to their night clothes but the two were too lazy to get up as sleep was slowly taking over them.

"Why did you wait until today?" He asked softly, his hand entangled in her hair and once again playing with it absentmindedly.

"Didn't want to be interrupted." Came her muffled reply and he grinned when another thought entered his mind.

"Ohhh Sirius is going to be unbearable tomorrow." He groaned.

"Why?"

"Well…we were interrupted in a way." She looked up and her eyes widened as she remembered Mrs. Weasley and the others standing down the corridor. It was only a very vague memory though, she had hardly paid any attention to them. "They might think we…you know." Both of them blushed at the thought and she turned to him with a mischievous expression on her face.

"If you want to…" She said quietly, trailing a finger along his chest and taking delight in the way his whole body trembled at her touch.

"N-now?" She smiled and silenced him again in her own way, stopping him from stammering.

"Non, not today. I don't want our first time to be in a dark, cold room like zis." His cheeks had a permanent red tint on them and judging by the burning on her face she knew she wasn't any better off. "But if zey zink we did, I'm not going to correct zem. Maybe zat will keep zat leetle girl from zinking she could take you away from me." Harry only needed a few seconds to realize who she was talking about. She settled back on his shoulder and their breathing slowed as they felt sleep take over them.

"I'm glad you did this." He said softly, before closing his eyes. In response he felt her tighten her hold on him. He honestly had no idea what he'd have done without her.

* * *

(_Half an hour ago)_

"SIRIUS BLACK!"

"Ow! What the hell is that?! What died?" Tonks yelped, woken from her sleep and looking around wildly.

"Oh…sorry 'bout that Tonks. I lifted that damned Imperturbable charm Molly keeps putting on the door." Sirius said apologetically.

"Is that her?" Lupin asked mildly. "She doesn't sound too happy with you for some reason."

"What've I done now? I was down here with you two the whole time." He asked. "Oh no…I hear dear old mum…that woman's woken her up too." They waited silently as the thundering overhead meant footsteps were descending down the stairs. What was she so mad about? He knew she'd gone upstairs to check on Fleur and Harry, taking the rest of the kids with her.

Maybe she finally found out that if you locked a door in this house with an additional silencing charm, it will be impervious to any spells that are cast at it, preventing anyone from coming in or hearing what was going on inside. He'd foreseen that Molly would try something like this which was why he'd given the hint to Harry and Fleur. From the sounds of it, the couple had used his hint and she had been unsuccessful in her attempts.

"Sirius!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, opening the door with unnecessary force. He could see the rest of the children behind her and they looked like someone had knocked them very hard in their heads. Ron had an idiotic glazed look on his face.

"Shut up woman, did it cross your mind that people might be trying to sleep?" He asked irritably. His patience with her had been running thin and this was the last straw. He didn't care what Dumbledore said. He was forced to live in this godforsaken house and there will be hell to pay if he couldn't get a moment of peace in it.

Mrs. Weasley looked like she'd been slapped very hard on her face but that didn't stop her.

"Harry and that…that woman, they're in that room together!" He rolled his eyes.

"No way! I didn't see that coming…you know…even after I made it clear it was _their _room." He muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as the twins and Tonks tried to stifle their laughter. Even Lupin had an uncharacteristic smirk on his face. He couldn't help but notice that the youngest Weasley looked like she was going to cry.

"No! I mean they…she…they've locked the door! No one can get in and she's having her way with him right now!"

"How do you know that? Ahh never mind that, I'm happy those two finally got around to it." Tonks couldn't hold it in anymore as she burst out laughing.

"I WILL NOT HAVE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS HAPPENING HERE!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed and he moved so fast that Lupin stepped forward with a look of alarm, his wand outstretched and a shielding charm ready on his lips to protect Mrs. Weasley when he saw the dangerous glint in Sirius's eyes. As it turned out, Sirius was too fast and had indeed used a spell, but it was nothing more than a simple silencing charm as Mrs. Weasley's mouth kept working yet no sound was coming out.

"Alright, now listen." He said icily. "Firstly, this is my house. I will deem what can happen here or not. Secondly, whatever Harry and Fleur do is up to them. Both of them are adults, Harry is only a minor in the number of years he lived and I trust them both to take measures and act responsibly. Thirdly, you have no right to stop them or come in between them in any way. It's his life and he can do whatever he wants with it. I will not allow you to take away the one good thing he got after everything that happened to him."

Flicking his wand he removed the silencing charm. "And lastly." He growled. "Stay the hell away from him. You are _not_ his mother and you never will be. Make sure you understand that before I take matters into my hands. I don't give a dam what Dumbledore says about you or anyone else for that matter." She looked stricken and after only a moment's hesitation where she looked like she was going to argue, she ducked out of the room without another word with the children in tow.

"That woman will drive me insane if this keeps up." He sighed, collapsing back on his chair.

"Do you think that Harry and Fleur are…you know?" Tonks asked gazing up at the ceiling as if trying to see through the walls. He suddenly felt glad Mad eye didn't come today. Who knew what that old lunatic was capable of?

"I really don't know. Don't care, in my opinion it's been long overdue." Lupin chuckled.

"He's not like you or James…but then again…" He trailed off.

"How's it feel like? Knowing the son of your best friend is probably getting some while you two are here reminiscing?" Tonks asked with an evil glint in her eyes.

"Hey! I'll have you know that back in Hogwarts I was a man women were lining up to sleep with." Lupin started laughing and he looked up, a growl forming on his throat. "What're you laughing at furball? I don't think you got any at all to this date." That shut him up. Tonks looked like Christmas had come early.

"No way…Remus how old are you?" Lupin looked like he wanted to tear Sirius apart with his bare hands who was now laughing fit to burst.

"You believe him?!" He asked, looking at her and she nodded enthusiastically.

"I always thought you played for the other team, now I have proof...I think…" Sirius actually fell off his seat, gasping for breath but he recovered fairly quickly.

"Like you do Nymphadora? I heard so many things about you, a few ladies in Hogwarts and broom cupboards. Why, I think there was a very recent one I might have heard from a few contacts about you and a new recruit to the Auror department? I hear she's from France. I swear, if you weren't my cousin I would…" Whatever else he was going to say was lost in a scream of pain from both men

Lupin was always at the wrong place at the wrong time.

**AN: First off, THANK YOU...1k reviews is something I count as a big achievement. To show my appreciation I made this long. Nah…actually I didn't mean to make this chapter this long, I just didn't find any place to end it around my usual word count. **

**The werewolf thing will not be too big a part of this story. But yeah, bottom line is, Harry gained more than he lost by what Greyback did. **

**So yeah, the necklace thing is done. I debated a lot over it, this was my original idea I had when I put the necklace into the story and I was actually trying to come up with a more…well something more for the necklaces. In the end I still went with this so I'm sorry if it's a letdown.**

**I guess the concept of a 'veela's mark' had been done before somewhere, someplace even though none of the stories I've read on this pairing have ever done it. Again, none of the stories I'VE read so don't flame me for that…the list is very limited since I don't like harem stories (nothing against them but for a harem story it needs to be done properly, not chapter after chapter of sex with different women who are intent on degrading themselves because Harry became the male version of Aphrodite…Like seriously! It's like they are just there for him to use and throw to a side as he moves on to another woman. It's sad but it's what I've seen. Again, don't flame me cuz my list is limited, if anyone has any good stories in mind that you feel was done well, I'd be grateful if you'd drop me a pm about it cuz I'd like the chance to read it.)**

**One thing I've gotta point out cuz I'm afraid some people will get the wrong idea, what with this mark and the necklace thing. This story hasn't been and won't be a soul bond story. The vast majority of you know this. They didn't fall in love because he was her 'chosen mate', 'life partner' or 'soulmate'…call it what you will. Any bonds formed in this story between them is a **_**result **_**of their feelings. If anyone questions me on this, I'm going to ask them to just read this chapter again. **

**So that's it then, got the wand, the necklace and popped the two of them into Grimmauld place for some fun and a few chances to bash our favorite redheads. (Have I mentioned anywhere before that I hate Mrs. Weasley? Lol) **

**Got exams coming up so might be a while before I update. Till next time then! Oh and please let me know what you thought about this chapter. What you liked, didn't, stuff I did wrong and/or want me to improve on, flames (as long as it points out what I've done wrong). **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Later.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry about the delay but here you go :) I feel like I can't express my gratitude to everyone that continue to support this story but I'm sure as hell going to try so thanks! **

**Enjoy. **

**CHAPTER 17**

Fleur couldn't remember a time when she'd felt like she did now when she stirred awake only to find that she couldn't move an inch because of the arms of the raven haired boy that encircled her from behind. He was still asleep surprisingly; it was always him who'd wake up before her, not moving an inch so that he wouldn't wake her up. Now their situations were reversed and she was more than content to stay still if it meant they could stay like this longer.

His breath was tickling her ear and she shifted slightly so that she could look up at him. She couldn't place emotion she was feeling as she stared at his face. She loved him, she knew that. But what she was feeling now was different. He was hers…the possessiveness was a new feeling to her but it had always been there over the past year when they'd been in Hogwarts.

She'd never been one to take something and put a firm claim over it. Anything she had, she didn't mind sharing it with others. But he…she wasn't proud of herself, but he she'd never share.

Ever since the Yule ball she'd been thinking about marking him. It was something that was unique in her heritage. Very few veela could hope to fall in love; they married out of necessity for the security a marriage can bring. The best they could usually hope for was to find someone that treated them with respect…at least most of the time…and in return serve his needs and provide him with a family. They could never be truly happy.

No matter what, it was well known in their culture that they were more or less seen as trophies. Her grandmother suffered in her marriage, she hardly knew about her grandfather and it was a sore subject in their family. However Alana's wish came true; Dominique treated her mother exactly like Harry did her and so both she and her mother were one of the few lucky ones of their people. All she could hope for now was that Gabrielle would be lucky enough to find someone like Harry in the future.

The mark is something that is used to assert a firm claim over the one they'd chosen. It was a form of binding which was more or less the same as marriage. It could even be considered something more than marriage as they were now bound together by the laws of magic rather than just taking up vows which are so easily broken. By the laws of magic, they were already joined together as, in lack of a better word, mates.

She hadn't really thought she'd find someone she'd fall for as hard as she had for Harry when she'd learnt all about her heritage from her mother. She had resigned herself to the fate that usually befell those like her. She never thought she'd find someone she'd even dream of marking but she was proven wrong by meeting Harry.

For it to work however, both the veela and her chosen need to have the same feelings for each other on an equal basis. If Harry didn't feel as she did, the mark wouldn't have appeared on either of them and she didn't even want to think of how she would have felt if that happened. Now she was silently cursing herself for even considering the possibility. No matter how much she'd assured Harry that she'd never change, she never got over her fears of him leaving her. They were long gone now and she'd be damned if she ever doubted him again.

A light blush crept up on her face when she thought of the one thing they hadn't done yet. Age was not the problem, consent was not the problem. She had already seen the desire in his eyes when he gazed at her. While it sometimes contained the lust that she'd detested for so long in the eyes of other men; when Harry looked at her like that, she thrived in it.

Last night she had to restrain herself from giving in and having her way with him. They were alone, no one was going to disturb them. He wanted her in the same way she did him and she knew him well enough to know that the only thing he was waiting for was her consent which she'd already given a long time ago even if he didn't realize it. That and he was never one for taking such bold steps with her, something that she found remarkably endearing.

There was no point in denying each other any longer after everything that happened between them. Now it was only a matter of time and she was not going to let him go again before she'd given herself to him. The only reason she didn't take anything further last night was because like she told him, she didn't want their first time to be in a place like this with an enraged woman standing right outside their door.

A few minutes later she couldn't help giggling when she felt something against her back that she didn't realize at the beginning. She could just imagine the look on his face now if he was awake and fully aware and glancing up at him again she made a split second decision.

This was too good a chance to pass up. With a wicked grin she turned to him and lightly kissed him. A few seconds later she felt him respond and his eyes slowly opened, exposing the gleaming emerald orbs. After a few moments she drew back and turned back, slowly adjusting her hips so that he was pressed more firmly to her.

"Bonjour monsieur." She whispered, adjusting herself again so that she felt him brush against her back again. Turning back for another look at his face she couldn't help laughing. He was exactly how she'd pictured in her mind, extremely red and looking like he wanted to do nothing more than to throw himself out of the window.

"Oh come on 'Arry. Eet isn't ze first time I've felt zat in ze morning." He went if possible, even redder.

"But…" His voice was higher than usual and there wasn't a trace of sleepiness in his face.

"Somezing for me to look forward to non?" She couldn't help laughing at his expression again before he leaned in. Her eyes widened when she felt him press his lips against hers before fluttering shut and cupping his cheek with her hand.

"Two can play at this game." He said, drawing back with a lopsided grin after a few moments. She grinned back and nuzzled into his chest.

"Who are you and what 'ave you done wiz 'Arry Potter?" He laughed and shook his head. It was already 10 in the morning as they could see on the clock on the wall opposite them but they were too loathe to leave the comfort of each other's arms. That and they weren't exactly looking forward to seeing how some people were going to react to them downstairs.

"We should probably get ready…" She said softly after about 15 minutes. Almost as soon as she'd said it her stomach grumbled making her blush as Harry burst out laughing. "Okay, so I'm 'ungry."

About half an hour later they were both ready after taking turns in the bathroom. Harry chose to wear what had become his uniform for the summer whenever they were going out, a shirt and a pair of jeans. Fleur chose a skirt and a blouse which had him staring for a few seconds before realizing what he was doing and quickly looking away. No matter how many times she'd told him, or even shown him that she _liked _it when he looked at her, some things were never going to change. Sighing and looping her arm through his she pulled him through the door.

Exchanging a look that said clearly that neither wanted to face what was coming, they pushed the door open to the kitchen and a chorus of wolf whistles pierced the air courtesy of Sirius and the twins who were sporting unnervingly identical grins. Apart from them it was only Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley was nowhere to be seen, something that the two of them were quite relieved about. It wasn't that they cared about what she said or did anymore, but the continuous confrontations were not something someone could get used to.

"Sleep well?" Sirius asked, waggling his eyebrows. Harry shot a death glare at him but frowned when he saw that his godfather was sporting a rather nasty bruise on his temple. Fleur beat him to it as they sat down opposite him.

"What 'appened to you?" His face suddenly grew pale while the twins, Hermione and Ron stifled their laughter.

"Nym…Tonks! Tonks I meant Tonks!" His voice grew hysterical near the end and Harry looked around the table hoping to get some explanation why his godfather looked like he'd just been forced to remember a particularly traumatizing event. It was like someone had mentioned the Dementors or Azkaban to him.

"There, there…Tonks isn't here." Fred said soothingly.

"Yeah she left earlier in the morning remember?" George added. Catching sight of Harry and Fleur's looks of confusion he leaned in. "He annoyed Tonks again."

"Not only me, you should see Remus." Sirius muttered darkly. "Dam I don't ever remember her being this brutal, no wonder she's already an Auror. You two looking for something to eat? Sorry but you're going to have to wait till lunch I'm afraid." He said, his grin flickering back on his face. "Tiring night I…."

"Sirius…" Harry said warningly. Fleur shrugged and leaned into him, slipping her hand in his and winking at Sirius who looked dumbstruck.

"You…wait…you two really…oh my god." Even Harry was fighting to control his laughter just as Fleur was dissolving into silent giggles next to him as his godfather tried to string words together. She was right, there was no need to let them know what really happened. It was much more fun this way.

Fred and George looked impressed and he detected a hint of envy on their faces. Hermione was rather red in her face and seemed unable to look at either Harry or Fleur but he recognized the look on her face immediately. It was the same disapproving expression he'd seen on her face so many times back in Hogwarts, the look that said that she badly wanted to show him the error of his actions. Ron simply looked furious.

All eyes shifted to Ginny who suddenly got up and left the room. A few minutes later Hermione got up too and followed in her wake with Ron right behind her. He remembered something that Hermione had told him about Ginny, back in the owlery the day after he'd been chosen as one of the champions. How he felt about it had not changed though, at least now he hoped she'd stop looking at him like she does and give up on her infatuation with him.

It took quite some time for the remaining people in the room to bring themselves back to reality. Harry and Fleur were unconcerned, choosing to converse quietly among themselves while Sirius, Fred and George were still extremely quiet, stealing quick glances at the couple before looking away again. Finally the twins left, shaking their heads and he could have sworn he heard one of them mutter 'lucky sod' before disappearing out the door.

Sirius finally looked up and Harry was relieved to see that his godfather had chosen not to dwell on the two of them. He could tell that Sirius was truly shocked to find that neither he nor Fleur were denying anything but from the serious look on his face Harry knew that Sirius had something important he wanted to talk to them about. Or not…

"Did you two use…you know?" Harry groaned loudly.

"Sirius, we didn't do what you're thinking."

"That's not what I was led to believe. And besides, don't think that Lupin is the only one with a good nose around here." Harry looked at his godfather in confusion but Fleur blushed slightly and muttered something too quiet for any of them to hear. Thankfully though Sirius seemed to decide to drop it as his cheerful grin vanished. "There is something that happened that you should know though." From the grim tone on his voice Harry knew whatever he was going to hear was not going to be good.

"Dumbledore didn't want anyone to tell you this but a few Dementors made an appearance..." Sirius paused before adding, "In Privet Drive."

"Isn't zat where we took 'Arry from?" Fleur asked worriedly. Harry just stared, not believing what he was hearing. Dementors? In the muggle world?

"When was this?"

"Four days ago." Catching sight of the worried look on Harry's face he added, "Don't worry, no one was hurt. Muggles can't see or hear them and they ignore muggles for the most part unless told otherwise. Poor Arabella almost had a heart attack." Harry found the name 'Arabella' strangely familiar but he pushed that to the back of his mind.

"Were they looking for me?" He asked tonelessly, feeling Fleur's grip on him tighten. Sirius grimaced. It was stupid question anyway.

There was something wrong there. This didn't make sense at all. He knew now that everything was working in Voldemort's favor what with him and Dumbledore being seen as lunatics. Why would he do something that might make people start asking questions?

"Those are exactly the questions we are trying to answer." Sirius muttered when Harry voiced his thoughts. "Nothing adds up. Dumbledore had warned Fudge that the ministry will lose control of the Dementors but that doesn't seem to be the case."

"'Ow do you know zat?" Fleur asked curiously. Harry looked at his godfather too, waiting for an answer. For all they knew, Voldemort might have already begun recruiting them to his ranks. A small smile appeared on Sirius's face as he eyed them.

"You two still have quite a bit to learn." He straightened up in his chair. "Think about it." He pointed at Harry. "Just as you said, why would Voldemort send Dementors after you? It would raise suspicion and that is exactly what Voldemort doesn't want. Besides, don't you think that if he wanted to kill you that badly he'd send a few of his Death Eaters or even show up himself rather than send a group of dark creatures?"

"And also if he really did gain control of the Dementors, the Death Eaters that were locked up would now be free. The only Death Eaters in Azkaban right now are the few that were part of his inner circles. I'd be damned if he would just leave them to rot in there. They are far too valuable to him."

"Then who would send Dementors after me?" Harry asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. We can't rule out the possibility that this was just a freakish coincidence as what Fudge and the ministry wants us to believe. But that's just too farfetched and Fudge is making sure that this incident never appears on the papers which in turn makes us suspicious of him and the ministry itself."

"Do they know I'm not there anymore?" Sirius shook his head.

"No don't worry, they don't have the faintest clue where you are. The Dursley's memories have been modified and they have gone on a small vacation supposedly taking you with them." Harry nodded, that was good enough. "Oh and about what you asked me…"

"Not now!" Harry said hurriedly but the damage was done. Sirius was grinning widely and Fleur looked intrigued.

"What?" Fleur asked, looking between Sirius and Harry, the latter who has become interested in his fingers on his free hand.

"Harry here seems to be reluctant to return to Hogwarts this coming year." He said, earning him a glare from Harry.

"What? Why?" She asked, turning to Harry and Sirius laughed.

"Come on Fleur you know why." She noticed the small blush on Harry's face and smiled before pecking his cheek. "You'll thank me later right Harry?" Both she and Sirius burst out laughing at Harry's expression. "Back to it then, once your O.W.L's are done I will put you up for French citizenship. But you will be going for it the muggle way so that might be a little slower."

"Why?" Sirius grimaced and got up, going to the kitchen door and locked it. Waving his wand Harry recognized the same silencing charm Fleur had used the night before.

"There…now we can speak freely. I don't care what Dumbledore says but certain people here get too pushy for their own good." He muttered. Then turning to the couple he sighed. "I'll try to explain as best I can. Don't blame me if you don't understand these things, it's Remus who knows more about these than me."

"Wizarding laws don't always take priority over muggle ones. Everyone, even the purebloods are registered when they're born like normal muggles. There's a department at the ministry that handles all these things but you do see why I don't want to hand your case over to them seeing as how things are now?" Harry nodded.

"Even though they're trying to discredit you, I really don't think they'd like…especially Fudge…to have you out of their grasp. To keep it under wraps, at least for the time being you'll be submitted to the process like any normal muggle. Dominique will help speed it up but it will still take a bit of time...I'm not sure how long but once it's all over you can withdraw from Hogwarts any time you want."

"But that means I'll have to go back in the end." Harry said sadly.

"Only for the time being." He assured him. "If you try to withdraw from Hogwarts now you will be met with a lot of resistance from everywhere." Harry frowned, studying Sirius's face for a moment before speaking.

"There's something you aren't telling me." He had become quite good at reading other people and he could see for the fatigue on his godfather's face, the ghost of the face that he had back when he'd seen him since he first broke out of Azkaban. Sirius fell silent and stared at Harry and Fleur who was also watching him with a small frown on her face before sighing and leaning back on his chair, tugging at a few locks of his hair which was now almost the same length as Harry's.

"You don't think Dumbledore would say anything against this?" He asked wearily. He fell silent and stared at the darkened fireplace for a few minutes before saying quietly, "I don't trust him." Catching sight of their faces he added, "You two don't know everything there is about him. He was very different back then but if there was one thing I learned about him, it was that everything he does is part of something bigger."

"But…"

"I'm not trying to turn you against him. What I mean when I say I don't trust him is that I disagree with a lot of things he does. Or more specifically his willingness to sit and watch as everything keeps getting dragged further into an ever growing mess. Neither I nor Lily ever trusted him as much as James or Remus did. We're all on the same side but it doesn't hurt to put some distance between us."

"Where is all this coming from?" Harry asked quietly.

"Think about it! What happened last year? You were thrust into the Triwizard tournament and what did he do? Nothing! You almost died on each and every one of the tasks and still he just stood by and watched. Sure he asked us to prepare you but it's almost like he knew Voldemort was going to come back. If he knew then why didn't he just use his time to find Voldemort and stop him from coming back instead?"

Harry found himself unconsciously agreeing with what Sirius was saying. It wasn't like he'd never thought about this, but he accepted everything that came his way.

"I don't want you to be someone that answers to Dumbledore Harry. The Order…it's not what it used to be. Dumbledore isn't what he used to be, whether that is for the better or for the worse I don't know but it will be wise if you two…" Fleur looked surprised at the inclusion. "…are completely independent. Worry about Voldemort when you have to but for now get on with your lives. If Voldemort decides to remain hidden for another ten more years let him and use that time to carry on with your lives. For that to work you need to be free of control from anyone here."

"Make sure you get through the upcoming exams Harry." He said, looking uncharacteristically stern. "If you get through them you will be one step closer to being out of Hogwarts and by that, free of anyone who can enforce their rules on you." Then he smiled, looking at Fleur who looked slightly ashamed. "I'm not telling you two to stop fooling around but I need you to help him out alright?"

"I will." She said softly and Harry grinned.

"She's already been helping me."

"Sure…cover up for your girlfriend why don't you?" He shot back. Fleur opened her mouth before closing it hurriedly making both him and Harry look at her questioningly. She looked embarrassed for some reason and before Harry could ask what's wrong she spoke.

"Sirius…about 'Arry's citizenship…" He nodded, watching her curiously and waiting for her to go on. "If we were married…" His face broke into a wide grin.

"Whoa so soon? You know I was only joking that day but…"

"Let me finish!" She exclaimed, blushing slightly and carefully avoiding Harry's eyes which wasn't too difficult since he was once again interested in his fingers. "Just answer me, if we were…would it be faster?" His grin was still on his face but he nodded.

"Of course it will. I'm not sure exactly how much faster it will be but well…you get the idea. So…you two going to elope or something?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "I can help you there."

"No! But we, I mean…I and 'Arry are…" She trailed off, seemingly getting lost in a world of her own as Harry and Sirius exchanged a look that clearly said neither knew what she was talking about. It wasn't entirely true though, Harry had a slight suspicion of where she was heading with this but he honestly had no idea if what he was thinking was true.

"What? Don't tell me you two went and got married behind our backs." Harry opened his mouth to reply but fell silent when his eyes met Fleur's. He couldn't explain why, but something told him that he would end up hurting her with the response that formed in his mind without a conscious thought. Shrugging he smiled at her and nodded his head ever so slightly and her lips curved upwards in a grin, squeezing his hand gently. They forgot about Sirius who was watching the whole exchange with wide eyes and only when he made a funny noise did they look up.

"It's just a little too much to take in…but…" He began shakily and Harry smirked, enjoying the way they messing his godfather up. Fleur decided to take pity on him.

"Non, again…eet isn't what you zink." Sirius stared at her for a few moments before throwing his hands in the air and before clutching his head.

"You two will be the death of me." Shaking his head at the evil grins on their faces he asked again with a small smile, "Indeed it would be a lot faster and much easier too if you two were together by law so where are you going with this? And is it something I, Apolline and Dominique should know about?"

"Eet is somezing mamman must know along wiz papa and you." He nodded, waiting for her to go on. "Last night I marked 'Arry using my magic."

"Marked?" He asked with a grin, noting the way their cheeks colored. "Could you clarify though?" He added, losing the grin and looking at them expectantly. She gave a brief rundown of it which was also news to Harry. He could see why she was worried that she might was taking away his freedom. But he just couldn't imagine someone else he'd rather be bound in that way to and besides, he'd never admit it, but the idea of _belonging _to her and vice versa was a pleasing thought indeed.

"I see…" Sirius muttered thoughtfully. "I think it will definitely help. From what you've said, it could be just what we need." He smiled at the two of them. "Thank Merlin that the French ministry is different from the English. So…" Both Harry and Fleur instantly grew wary of the mischievous look in his eyes. "I believe congratulations are in order."

They muttered their thanks and Sirius got up, stretching and waving his wand making the door glow faintly.

Harry glanced at the clock and was shocked to find that it was already half past twelve. Leaning closer to Fleur he whispered "Can we go to Diagon Alley again?"

"Didn't you get everyzing you need?" She asked curiously. That was true, they had done everything they came to do but there was something else on his mind which he didn't want Fleur to know yet. That and he'd been waiting to take her back to Florean's for ice cream which he knew she liked a lot.

"Erm…not quite." She looked puzzled but nodded. After asking Sirius was just as surprised as Fleur but nevertheless suggested they wait for Tonks who would be back soon.

About an hour later Harry was leaning against the wall of a dark alley trying to recover from the sensation of being squeezed through an extremely tight tube which was much more uncomfortable than when Lupin had taken them side along apparition. It was actually painful this time. He had no idea what it was with him that made him so weak to magical travel. Fleur looked a little winded but was rubbing his back comfortingly while Tonks looked on in amusement.

"Triwizard champion, boy who lived and Merlin knows what else you've done but make you apparate and we have…well this…" She said cheerfully, gesturing at Harry while Fleur giggled making him scowl at the two women.

After navigating their way a short distance through the muggle streets to the Leaky Cauldron, which was quite an uncomfortable journey since Tonks with her vibrant purple hair and Fleur as just herself commanded the attention of almost everyone. Harry could feel the jealous glares of the entire male population on him as Fleur as always had her hand in his and Tonks was beside him, walking much closer to him than was deemed appropriate social distance.

Stepping into the crowded pub they quickly made their way to Tom who was pleasantly surprised to find Harry and eagerly agreed to give them a more private setting for lunch. Both Harry and Fleur liked the cheerful Auror a lot who they were becoming fast friends with and enjoyed listening to stories about her time in Hogwarts.

She had been a Hufflepuff and she'd even been on the Quidditch team as a Chaser. Now that Harry thought about it, back in the trophy room he could remember looking at a picture of one of the old Quidditch teams in school where there had been a girl with bright purple hair holding up the house cup with the rest of the yellow robed team. When asked she confirmed that it was taken back in her 6th year when they had finally won the house cup.

Once they'd finished eating Harry had a hard time trying to explain to Fleur that he wanted to go to this place alone. Tonks was trying to control her giggles as she watched him quail under Fleur's gaze. She knew Fleur was only teasing him but he was taking it way too seriously. Once he was gone she leaned close to Fleur and murmured with a grin, "Did you see his face when you glared at him? He looked like a wounded puppy."

The veela grinned before turning back, watching him disappear into the crowd. "'E's cute when 'e does zat non?"

"Would you hex me if I said he was?" Both women started laughing before they immediately sobered up seeing as the rest of the pub were watching them. "Want to look around a few shops before we meet with him by Florean's?"

"Oui, zat sounds good." Fleur replied, eyeing a man that was staring at her with a look that could kill. It wasn't surprising he backed away when she walked past him with Tonks who smirked at him.

* * *

Harry sighed and took a deep breath before knocking. He was worried that he'd made Fleur angry by saying he wanted to go alone, but this was something he didn't want her to know about at any cost for now. Not until the time was right.

What led him to do this was something he remembered Sirius telling him back at Hogwarts a few days after he'd told him about what had happened on the night of the Yule ball. That and a great deal of thinking he'd done last night, technically today when he'd woken up in the early hours of the morning with Fleur's head resting on his shoulder. What she'd done by marking him, binding him to her but at the same herself to him put things in another perspective.

Sirius had asked him exactly how serious he was about being with Fleur. His godfather showed him that although the age difference was trivial to them, as time passed by the gap was never going to change. Fleur was the older one and her future was more rapidly approaching than his in a sense. She needed to settle down, she needed a sense of permanence in her life before more years passed.

He had thought about those words a lot while lying in bed, watching her angelic face fondly. She gave him everything to live for. She gave him a future. She gave him so much that he was frustrated at the thought of not being able to give her what she needed. Everything he did for her felt inadequate. She loved him for a reason he didn't and would never understand. The mark…_her_ mark, he felt like he didn't deserve it, he didn't deserve to have someone as perfect in every way as her.

All he could do was do his best to make her happy. In the end, he was in love with her and couldn't think about anyone else even if he tried. She was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and no one, not even Voldemort was going to stop them from getting together.

Sighing he knocked again, a little louder and urgently this time. A few seconds later the door opened and the Keep's face broke into a smile when he saw who it was.

"Mr. Potter! Come in, were you standing outside long? Sorry, I was just straightening out a few boxes at the back and didn't hear the knocks."

"Don't worry about it." Harry said with a smile, stepping in through the door which the old man held open before closing it.

"So…" The old man asked, slipping behind the counter and turning to the young man, noting that he had become quite nervous in a matter of a few seconds. "How can I help you?"

Harry grimaced before steeling himself and launched into an explanation of what he needed. Keep for his part had a small smile that was growing wider as he listened and chuckled when Harry finished, seeing that the boy was blushing slightly. "I can see why you didn't bring Miss Delacour with you this time. I would be honored to do this for you. By when would you need it?" Harry shrugged, frowning slightly.

"How long does it normally take?"

"From what you've told me I'd estimate that it would take me a few months to get it done. And even then I'm being optimistic."

"That long?" He asked in surprise. Keep nodded.

"Oh yes…magic isn't used at all during the forging Mr. Potter, we find that using magic reduces the value of the final outcome as it leaves chances to shoddy workmanship. All runes, inscriptions and everything else are added once it is done. That and to gather the materials required for this would take me quite some time." Harry grinned sheepishly.

"Do you think you could get it done before Christmas eve? Please?" Keep thought about it for a few moments. With a sigh he nodded. How could he refuse the boy? He looked like his life depended on it…maybe in a way it did.

"I think I can, but I warn you…the cost will be high." Harry nodded. Of course he expected that.

"I understand." Keep grinned and shook his hand.

"I will keep you updated. Give my best to Miss Delacour." He added with a twinkle in his eyes. Harry returned the smile.

"I will…thank you."

* * *

Fleur and Tonks had quite an interesting time together. Tonks kept dragging her to shops and forcing her to try different clothes on. Tonks always put on something and changed her appearance multiple times trying to find which would fit the clothes the best. Fleur for her part didn't understand why Tonks was even trying, when she mentioned that she looked just fine with her normal purple hair and heart shaped face she earned herself a hug from the Auror who then proceeded to buy each and every item they had.

All the while she kept wondering where Harry had gone. She always got worried whenever he wasn't around her anymore, something she noticed ever since their time apart. She couldn't think of any reason why Harry would want to leave her behind if he could help it, something told her that whatever he was doing concerned her and if he didn't want her to know about it yet, he must have a good reason and she wasn't going to question him. But still he was late.

"Where is 'e?" She muttered, gazing up and down the crowded street as they stood outside Florean's. "Eet's already been an hour."

"Relax Fleur, he should be coming back. As a matter of fact…" Tonks trailed off, staring at the crowd. "I think that's him." Fleur gazed at where Tonks was pointing and sure enough she could see him trying to navigate through the crowd. He wasn't that hard to pick out from a crowd anymore, there was something about him that made him stand out and it wasn't just about his looks anymore. The way he moved, his demeanor…everything had changed. He carried himself with a confidence that hadn't been there before. Although he himself didn't realize it, anyone who'd known him could see it.

A relieved smiled graced her lips as she watched him get closer but spotting Tonks's smirk she quickly schooled her features into a stern one. He was just too much fun to tease. She almost broke out giggling when he came up to her, tugging at his locks nervously. He looked at her with wide green eyes and she had to struggle to keep her icy expression which was threatening to melt off her face at the imploring look he was giving her.

"You're late."

"I know. It took a little longer than I thought it would…sorry." He added the last bit quietly. Sighing she took hold of his hand and pulled him next to her. There was no way she could carry an act too long with him.

"Zere are some zings zat will never change wiz you non?" She said with a grin, feeling her heart skip a beat when his eyes brightened and returned the smile. Tonks cleared her throat and the two looked around.

"So we going to go in or what?" She asked and they nodded before opening the door to the parlor. "Wow…" She muttered as soon as they stepped inside.

It was crowded. Even Harry who had spent much of his time here back in his 3rd year after he'd left the Dursleys couldn't remember Florean's having this many people given any time of the day.

"Hello, table for 3?" Came Mr. Fortescue's voice from the side. They turned to the source and Mr. Fortescue's face brightened when he recognized who they were. "Welcome back, afraid you three are going to have to wait a little though...today's really busy for some reason."

"What about that one right there?" Tonks asked, pointing at a corner.

"It's only for two." Tonks shrugged and looked at Fleur whose face broke into an evil grin that made Harry instantly wary.

"Eet should be fine." Mr. Fortescue blinked before grinning and stepping back, welcoming them to go ahead. As soon as they reached the table with two chairs on either side of it, Fleur made Harry sit down before dropping into his lap while Tonks took the other chair, chuckling at the embarrassed yet pleased expression on his face. He wrapped his arms around her waist while she leaned back against him and Tonks couldn't help but feel a little jealous of the two.

The three were soon digging into their ice creams. No matter how much Fleur and Tonks tried, they couldn't get any clue of where Harry had gone. Tonks finished her ice cream faster than the other two and insisted that she get the tab. In her eagerness she got up and knocked her leg on the table making it jerk violently making Harry who was just taking a bite of his ice cream to jolt in the process and getting a bit on his nose. Tonks burst out laughing at the look on his face as he crossed his eyes trying to see his nose making him grin in turn.

He immediately froze when Fleur leaned closer, licking the bit off his nose as his face went an unbelievable red which only got redder when she moved lower, kissing him tenderly making Tonks and the few people around them watching look away hurriedly.

"Shouldn't let eet go to waste." She whispered, her lips hovering just centimeters from his which were quirked up in a smile.

"Can't have that." She giggled before closing the distance again, both of them completely oblivious to anything else.

"Ehm…I'll go and yeah…pay." Tonks stammered before making herself scarce.

Soon afterwards the thing Harry was dreading came to pass. Apparating with Tonks was torture for him. He was sure now that Tonks was not that experienced in apparition and resolved to never travel with her in this way again. A few journeys like that one after the other could surely kill him.

"Sorry about that." Tonks said sheepishly, seeing that Harry and Fleur both rather white on their faces. "I only got my license a few months ago so I'm a little inexperienced."

"No way." He said sarcastically earning him a smack on his head from her. "Ow!" The trio made their way down the street and up the steps to the darkened house. It was like they were stepping into an invisible space between number 11 and 13. The street had people walking up and down it and although they did attract stares while they walked, once they reached the stairs to number 12 no one seemed to notice them anymore, their eyes moving immediately to number 13.

Once inside they made their way down the darkened corridor. Tonks almost tripped at the enormous troll leg but both he and Fleur moved quickly to catch her and all three breathed a sigh of relief.

Harry had caught a glimpse of Sirius's mother when Tonks had arrived earlier in the day, tripping over the same troll leg she had almost done just now and waking up all the portraits in the house along with Mrs. Black. Harry could not think of any woman that looked or sounded so unpleasant as her that he understood why Sirius talked about her the way he did. Indeed, Fleur had to stop him from blasting a hole in her portrait after hearing one particularly disgusting comment about Fleur from Mrs. Black.

The kitchen door burst open even before they reached it and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw the potions master stride out. Snape's eyes narrowed as green met black but for the first time, Harry could not see the look of loathing behind those cold eyes. The expression Snape had was almost…neutral, calculating. Harry for his part nodded at Snape as he passed him.

The kitchen was rather crowded. There were quite a lot of people he hardly recognized, although there was one who he could distinctly remember that bowed to him once a long time ago at a shop in front of Petunia and Dudley. The said wizard hurried towards him looking extremely excited with his hand outstretched.

"Mr. Potter! Deadulus Diggle at your service." Harry smiled, taking the offered hand.

"Weren't you the one that bowed to me at a shop once?" His hate promptly fell off as he shook with excitement.

"You remembered! What an honor." Harry was inwardly groaning but struggled to maintain his expression. He was distinctly aware that Sirius was grinning at him from the back. Diggle wasn't done yet as he turned to Fleur.

"Miss Delacour or should I say soon-to-be Mrs. Potter?" Fleur went scarlet as she stammered her introductions while Diggle chuckled. "It's always a pleasure to meet someone as charming as you." Harry growled, fixing Sirius with a murderous glare who was laughing alongside Lupin who looked highly amused. If there was anyone that would put a complete stranger up to this it was him.

Once Diggle was done a few others came to introduce themselves. Emmeline Vance and Hestia Jones, two middle aged witches, Mundungus Fletcher, a grubby man with shifty eyes who he immediately disliked as did Fleur who stepped back behind him when the man got closer. The stench of tobacco around him was too much to take.

Apart from him there was Kingsley Shacklebot and Mad eye Moody, the real one. There was no difference between the Moody he had come across last year from this one except that this one seemed to be a little jumpy and a little bit more paranoid. Understandable with what happened to him after all.

"Having a good summer so far Mr. Potter?" A stern voice called which made his eyes widen as he turned to face professor McGonagall, a thin smile on her face.

"Yes professor." He said nervously. She peered at Fleur through her spectacles before smiling a little wider.

"I would believe so…has he been preparing for the exams?" Harry gazed imploringly at Fleur who smirked.

"A leetle." She turned back to Harry with a look that he recognized only too well.

"Now Mr. Potter, none of that then…I want you to do well in these exams, you need to work harder." Harry nodded sheepishly.

"Yes professor." He mumbled. She nodded.

"I, Aurora and Bathsheda have high expectations of you, especially Aurora. I've never seen her quite so excited about a student before…" Her Sirius let out a wolf whistle which made Harry groan and Fleur scowl. She had seen the young professor and she hadn't been too happy about her tutoring him back at Hogwarts.

Professor McGonagall was not pleased. "Sirius Black! Even after all these years I see you have yet to grow up. Be quiet!" Remus looked like he was struggling to keep his face straight and Fleur was giggling behind him while Sirius immediately fixed his gaze on the ground.

"Yes ma'am." He muttered.

"Hmph…" She turned back to Harry. "I will see you back in Hogwarts on the first of September." Harry noticed that Fleur's face fell at this statement, apparently McGonagall noticed it too because she smiled a gently at Fleur. "Miss Delacour, I trust you will make sure he's on the correct path till then?"

"Oui madame." She said, perking up a bit. Nodding at the two she walked out, following after the others who were leaving. Harry looked around the room spotting Mrs. Weasley who was unsurprisingly glaring at them. Choosing to ignore her they made their way towards Sirius and Remus.

"Are all those people in the Order?" He asked curiously as soon as they were within earshot.

"Yeah. Deadulus and Emmeline were in the Order back when it was formed. The others were one of the minority that we managed to convince."

"Is that it then or are there more? Are all the teachers in Hogwarts in the Order?" Remus nodded grimly.

"That's basically it…and no all of the Hogwarts teachers aren't in it. I think it's only Minerva, Filius and Severus who are in it." Just then Tonks walked up to them looking extremely sheepish. Both Harry and Fleur noticed with smirks the way that Sirius and Remus flinched away from the purple haired Auror.

"Hey Sirius, I just found out I'm on duty tomorrow morning…would you mind if I spent some time here? Could use a few hours of sleep." Sirius nodded.

"Sure. I'll let you…no wait actually you can use their room. I forgot but Dumbledore came when you two were gone and set the portkey up for you to take back to France. It will activate in another…" He glanced at the clock. "…hour and 12 minutes precisely. And before I forget, its that thing right there." He added, pointing at a small metal box sitting on the counter at the corner of the room.

Soon afterwards Tonks left, surprising Harry and Fleur by pulling them both into a hug before tiredly bidding them goodbye. Not a few seconds passed before a loud crash was heard outside and all hell broke loose announcing that she had tripped on her way to the stairs. Sirius left grimacing slightly as he opened the door making everyone wince as his dear old mother's voice reverberated throughout the whole room.

Harry hardly saw Ron, Hermione, Ginny or even Mrs. Weasley again and he was quite thankful for that. Mrs. Weasley had slipped out sometime while he, Fleur, Remus and Sirius had been sitting at the table and not once had she even tried to chastise him, something which he was sure Sirius had a hand in at the glare she kept directing at him.

The twins dropped by again a few minutes before they were to take the portkey and presented Harry with a box which they said contained the prototypes of their inventions.

According to them, seeing as he was their partner (no matter how much he tried he couldn't shake them off that idea and in the end gave up when Fleur told him to just accept it) he was entitled to be the first to use them to wreak havoc with. Even though they generously supplied him with an instructions sheet, he was still wary about using them any time before they got back to Hogwarts, Knowing them something could go wrong.

After hugging Sirius and Remus they took hold of the small box which was now bathed in a pulsating blue light. Harry grinned and waved at them before the all too familiar yet unwelcome sensation engulfed them and they pulled into the torrent of colors.

A few seconds later his feet slammed to the ground and he immediately lost his balance, the floor rushing up to meet his face before a strong arm wrapped firmly around his waist, holding him steady. Looking up he muttered his thanks to Dominique who was grinning at him with Fleur next to him who, as always with an inhuman act of balance, managed to stay upright.

"You don't sound too grateful." Dominique said in a mock hurt voice while he grumbled incoherently, allowing Fleur who had reattached herself to him to pull him through the crowded room which he recognized at the chamber they used for magical transportation at the French ministry. "Slow down!" They heard Dominique's voice behind them but Fleur laughed and kept going.

She looked extremely happy to be back. Even he would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to returning to the Delacours. It just felt different being there, it felt like _home_…and it wasn't the same feeling he got when he thought of Hogwarts. It was different. He couldn't explain it, but he felt like he had finally understood the true meaning of 'home'. The only thing that he missed was not having Sirius around.

Sure he had experienced something similar back when he had been with the Weasleys at the burrow. But he just melded into the crowd. Mrs. Weasley may have treated him like her child but that was just it, he was _one_ of her children. He was another face, a different face mind you in a crowd of redheads but he was just another face in that crowd.

With the Delacours however it was different. The family was small and he was the only male in the house. It was clear that Apolline thought of him as her own son and perhaps Dominique did too and he liked the feeling. He felt he could talk about anything he wanted with them and they wouldn't hesitate to give him the attention he needed.

One of the ministry officials saluted Dominique and stood aside to let them through to the hall filled with fireplaces. Harry gazed curiously at the man who winked at him and could have sworn he'd seen him somewhere before. Before he could say anything however the man patted his shoulder and said, "Good to see you again Mr. Potter."

"Mr…erm Monsieur Jacque?" He asked uncertainly, looking up at the man.

"Correct." Jacque grinned. "I wasn't zere to witness your arrival zis time. Still as bad as ever?" Fleur giggled and nodded while he avoided their eyes, trying to stop the blush creeping up on his face. "Don't worry, eet's not only you zat doesn't 'ave ze aptitude for magical travel." He looked up hopefully and Jacque nodded, his smile widening. "C'est incroyable n'est pas? 'Ow zese people manage to stay upright." He nodded vigorously making him chuckle.

"Zere are somezings zat need my attention, by your leave zen Monsieur Delacour?" He asked and Dominique nodded. After shaking Fleur and Harry's hand he disappeared into the crowd leaving them to navigate through to try and find a free fireplace.

They found one soon enough at the center of the hall and after letting the group of warlocks in front of them pass who were jabbering excitedly about something in Bulgarian they took turns stepping through. Fleur went first with a small smirk and after he'd safely tucked his glasses into the pocket of his jeans he followed, stepping into the flames and muttering 'Maison Delacour!'and allowed the nauseous feeling to take over him again as he started spinning in a world of green blurs.

Quite suddenly the sensation stopped and he heard soft peals of laughter announcing that he had once again managed to embarrass himself with the floo and got to his feet grumbling and pointedly looking away from Fleur. She was as bad as him at this!

"Oh don't look so grumpy 'Arry." He heard Apolline's voice and he turned to the taller version of Fleur who was standing next to her daughters. He felt something slam into him and picked up Gabrielle with a chuckle who was hugging him tightly by the waist and kissed her cheek making the little girl blush before setting her down and letting Apolline pull him into a hug. "Even if eet was for a short time we missed 'aving you two." He grinned sheepishly and she ruffled his hair before moving to kiss her husband who was dusting the soot off his robes.

After looking in on Alana who was sitting outside in the garden, Harry fell back into the bed he and Fleur shared now back in his room with a sigh and closed his eyes, not bothering to get undressed. Dinner was going to be ready soon and Fleur had gone for a shower just like he was supposed to be doing but he was just too lazy at the moment to get up.

He barely had a few minutes of peace before Fleur came in and poked his ribs painfully before sending him into the bathroom and stuffing fresh clothes in his arms. He was grumbling initially but when she suggested she come in and help him wash he locked himself inside within record time trying to ignore Fleur's laughter as he tried to hide his face which was now red.

"Sirius told me something interesting about your wand...care to share?" Dominique asked as they all sat down for dinner, Fleur as always beside him.

"What?" Apolline asked, her eyes twinkling brightly as she looked at him and Fleur in turn noticing their embarrassed looks before thanking the house elf that set the food on the table.

"My 'air…" Fleur said softly making Apolline look at her. _"'Arry's core is a strand of hair…from me." _She said, switching to French for her grandmother. Both women's faces broke into identical gins. Dominique shook his head.

"No wonder…don't let anyone else know about this or you will be hounded by people wanting to examine your wand. You're probably the first non veela to be using a wand with a core donated by one." Harry nodded.

"Ollivander told me something along those lines."

"_So, is there anything else that happened you two want to tell us about?" _Apolline asked making Fleur bury her face in his shoulder while the rest of the Delacours looks on in amusement.

"_Later." _She murmured and Apolline nodded after shooting a glare at her husband who'd opened his mouth, no doubt to ask what it was. Looking back at his wife he fell silent and busied himself with the food.

Soon after dinner Fleur brought in some of his books and dropped them beside him while he was sitting up, propped against a pillow and absentmindedly playing with his wand which was emitting blue sparks with a faraway look in his eyes. It took him a moment to notice her and she frowned but nevertheless didn't question him.

"Not now..." He groaned, picking up his Astronomy book and throwing it to a side listlessly.

"Come on 'Arry…what your professor said was right. I know you're prepared but eet doesn't 'urt to get some more 'ours in." She said, taking it and crawling into the bed beside him. He hadn't noticed before but she too had a couple of books in beside her. "I'll 'elp you study for Astronomy and Charms and even I 'ave somezings I need to go through."

"Finally decided on something?" He asked, letting her lay her head on his lap.

"I'm not sure yet…" She had been in a dilemma over the past few months, wondering what she was going to do now that her schooling years were done. He knew that she liked teaching but was somewhat reluctant to do it because of her being…her. He sometimes joked about how the students wouldn't learn anything because they'd be too mesmerized by her and to counter that she always blasted him with her allure making him slip up in turn.

Teaching wasn't the only thing though. She liked accounting, something which he knew he'd never even think about doing. Seeing as she had a passion for Astronomy he suggested that she look into something along those lines but even then apart from teaching or researching there wasn't much choice.

"'Arry?" He looked down at her questioningly. "Do you zink I could get a job in Gringotts?"

"Accounting?" He asked in surprise. She shook her head.

"Non, as a curse breaker. I don't zink I can get a job straight away but at least…" She trailed off and he smiled.

"You'll be in London?" She nodded.

"I don't know…if that's what you really want. But..." He paused, trying to find the right words. "Anyone can recognize you there. And I'm a nutter there remember? They might…" She glared at him making him uncomfortable.

"Zey might look down on me for being wiz you?" She finished for him. "Do you really zink I care?" He shrugged.

"I know that. I'd just feel a lot better if you aren't anywhere in England." She opened her mouth to protest but fell silent when he continued quietly. "Please Fleur, it's not only about what the people think or how they might treat you. If something happens to you…"

"Nozzing will 'appen to me." She said gently but he shook his head.

"He threatened you in front of me. I don't know how but he knows who you are and that puts you in danger. I don't want anything happening to you because of me so please..." He fell silent, avoiding her eyes. Sighing she reached up and cupped his cheek, making him look at her.

"Okay. I won't." He nodded with a ghost of a smile and she let a small one play across her lips before narrowing her eyes at him. "But zat doesn't mean I will not come to visit you from time to time." He laughed and nodded.

"I'll be looking forward to that." She grinned back before getting up and taking his book again making him groan.

"We will not sleep until we 'ave revised at least 'alf zis book." He nodded somberly but perked up when she kissed his cheek. "You will 'ave rewards if you answer all ze questions I ask. Deal?"

"Deal." He agreed, snapping into attention making her giggle before leaning back into his side. The next few hours were spent with her firing questions at him and she had to admit that she was impressed by him. Professor McGonagall certainly hadn't made a mistake by setting him up to take his exams early. Finally taking pity on him after seeing him fall asleep twice she set aside the books and after kissing him goodnight, curled up at his side with her head resting on his shoulder and threw the covers over them before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Harry knew from the moment he felt the unreal cold breeze blowing around him that he was back in the place that had been on his mind continuously, wondering when he was going to be visiting it again. Opening his eyes he took in the now familiar landscape. The white tree…although it wasn't as bright as before, now it had turned darker, a shade of grey to be exact.

Something was wrong, or at least…something was different. All the earlier times he had these dreams, trances...whatever they can be called, he felt compelled to stay and try to decipher what the tree meant to him. The urge had been there to just look around but it had always been suppressed. After all as far as the eye can see it was just an empty space and at the horizon he could see silhouettes of what could be mountains. Now though, the tree barely intrigued him. It felt like it was time to move on, as if the job there was done.

Shrugging he walked past the tree without a second glance at it and continued onward.

He had been on standing on a cliff overlooking the sea the whole time. It was a rather unpleasant surprise when he almost slipped and felt his foot touch nothing but air after walking a for a few minutes. Cursing he tried to find his wand but his pockets turned out to be empty. _Great, it's too dark to keep going. _

As if on cue the clouds slowly parted, letting light filter through as the moon slowly revealed itself. It wasn't much but the moonlight was enough to see where the edge of the cliff was from which he made sure to stay away from.

Coming across a pathway, or what seemed to be a pathway he continued on it. It led downhill and he could just make out shapes and flickering lights. Coming closer he saw that they were houses and that he was coming upon what seemed to be a village.

"Hello?" He called, suppressing a shiver as the wind got colder. He had entered through the village gates and was walking down the street now, houses on either side. There was something an inn at his left from which he could hear muffled sounds. The door was shut but from the light streaming underneath the hinge and the shadows he could just make out it was clear that people were inside.

Moving towards the door he tried to open it but found that it was locked. Frowning at the thought of something like an inn being locked he knocked and waited. When no one seemed to be coming he knocked again, harder but still got no response.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched as he moved back into the main street and continued on his way, rubbing his hands together in an effort to warm them. The wind was too cold to a point that it felt like it was tearing at his skin. The silence other than the wind howling was something that sent chills down his spine and he had a funny feeling that even if he shouted at the top of his voice, no one would be able to hear him.

Doing the only thing he could at this point, he continued on, leaving the village behind as he entered a dark forest. Almost as soon as he entered it, a dense mist surrounded him making him falter and look behind him in panic which only grew when he found that all traces of the village had gone.

If he had a choice he would have turned back and gone the way he came but there was something pulling him, making his legs take step after step. It was as if his body wasn't listening to him anymore.

His ears picked up the sound of running water and unless he was mistaken, voices. As he drew closer he could just make out three cloaked figures walking just a few feet in front of him. Finding himself free to walk now he cautiously approached the three. The middle one seemed to be a tad shorter than the two beside him and they were all laughing and talking in a language he couldn't understand.

"Hello?" None of them gave any sign that they had heard him and he wasn't surprised. This was eerily similar to the experience he had with Tom Riddle's diary back in his second year at Hogwarts. The difference was that everything wasn't in black and white as then and he could literally feel everything, the wind biting at his skin, the frigid cold air and he could also hear everything; the leaves rustling, footsteps, howling of the wind and a faint sound of running water indicating a river was somewhere close by.

Deciding there was nothing else for it he quickened his pace and caught up with the trio who were still completely oblivious to his presence. Walking past them he turned to look at them.

They were all males. The one on the right was the tallest of the three and his face had a kind of roguish look to it and he was smiling at something the one beside him said while stroking his goatee reminding him forcefully of Karkaroff even though this man looked nowhere as unpleasant as him. His hair was strikingly similar to Harry's, at shoulder length with a messy look to it that was something he'd thought was only possible with him.

The one at the left was roughly around the same height but his hair was short although the bangs at the front were long enough to cover half his eyes. Even as he was watching the middle one leaned over and took hold of the bangs, lifting them up with a huge grin so he could see his eyes and saying something which made the three burst out in laughter.

The middle one was roughly around the same height as him, perhaps a little taller than him. His face was angular rather than shaped roughly like the other two. If anyone saw Harry and him together, they could have sworn they were twins except for the one main difference. The eyes.

All three of them had pale, almost colorless eyes giving them an intimidating look. There was no mistaking it, the three in front of him were related to each other.

He fell into step with the three, following them through the dark forest. The three had fallen silent and he noticed that the earlier laughter in their eyes had gone and they seemed to be more cautious in their steps. He felt another chill down his spine and instinctively turned back just as the middle one mimicked him. He had the feeling that he was being watched and it was only growing more prominent with every step he advanced.

The sound of water running kept increasing until they finally came to where the path they were following ended. They were standing in front of a large river which was flowing to fast for anyone to cross and the bank at the other side had the path which was a continuation of the one they were on. In front of them were the remains of what seemed to have been a bridge which connected this side to the other, offering a safe passage over the water.

"_This is a small problem." _The middle one murmured making him jump. He stared curiously at the one that resembled him so strikingly who was watching the river with a frown. He had understood him! But he still had the feeling that it wasn't English he was speaking. The words that escaped the man's lips were foreign to his ears however it was like his brain was translating them at the same time. It was a lot like when he had the occasional conversation with a snake.

"_What? I don't see how this could be one."_ The one at the right muttered, stepping up and reaching into his robes. _"Brother, you think too much. Have you forgotten what we are?" _The middle one smiled although it didn't reach his eyes.

"_I know that but do you not see him? I had the feeling we were being followed ever since we left the village." _He said quietly, pointing at the other side.

"_What are you…?" _The one a on the left asked, shaking his head so the bangs were moved from his eyes. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the opposite bank and Harry turned too and a quiet gasp escaped him.

There, standing on the other side was a black hooded figure that he recognized only too well, floating just inches above the ground and watching the three…no…he felt Death's eyes on him too.

"_How about we find another way?" _The middle one asked quietly.

"_Ignotus…you know this is the shortest way through." _The right one growled.

"_But Antioch…" _

"_No! We came too far to turn back now. If we try to find another way it will take us days or even longer to find another way."_

"_I agree brother but I think Ignotus is right." _The one on the left murmured watching Death warily. _"Nothing good will come from brushing with him." _

"_Even you Cadmus? We are not cowards! This is a challenge! Father warned us there might be something like this."_

"_Father also warned us to avoid this path." _Ignotus muttered.

"_We were forced off our normal route…" _Antioch said, shaking his head. _"We must play the hand we have been dealt with." _Cadmus sighed while Ignotus watched Death silently before nodding.

"_Alright but please, I implore you…let us not linger under his presence longer than necessary." _Antioch nodded and pulled out his wand which Harry noticed was far from the straight, fine models they were today. It was crooked, as though it had carelessly been broken off from a branch on a tree. He waved his wand and slowly a bridge formed, connecting the bank they were on and the other side together. Death still stayed his ground, watching them.

Taking a deep breath Antioch started on the bridge with Ignotus and Cadmus right behind him with their own wands drawn. All three of them trudged forwards cautiously. Even Harry found himself shaking slightly as he followed the three brothers.

Once they reached the other side Death suddenly inclined his head. Almost automatically the four of them, even Harry nodded back and Antioch started forward to move past him when he spoke in his distant, cold voice.

"_You have done well to elude me here." _Ignotus stepped forward.

"_Thank you, now if you can please let us pass we would like to be on our way." _Harry smirked slightly when he saw Cadmus who was frantically trying to hold Ignotus back. Death watched them silently before nodding.

"_Yes…you may pass. But first, a reward must be given for besting me. Tell me, what is it you desire?" _Antioch strode forward with an air of confidence and before Ignotus could stop him, spoke.

"_I require a wand. A wand with unrivaled power." _Death nodded and Antioch gasped when the wand in his hand slipped out his fingers and floated to Death's waiting skeletal hand. He ran a finger, tracing the wand and it was momentarily surrounded by a dark haze before it disappeared and handed it back to Antioch. Antioch's eyes widened and he seemed to be satisfied with it as he took a few steps back, staring at his wand. Cadmus stepped forward next.

"_The power…the power to recall those from beyond the grave." _Ignotus growled and shot his brother a murderous look but Cadmus only had his eyes on Death. Harry knew it was crazy, but he was certain Death was smiling. Death held out his hand, palm upwards and there sitting on his open palm was a small stone with no distinct markings.

"_As you requested, you will learn how to use it." _Death said. Then he fixed his gaze on Ignotus expectantly. Ignotus turned, staring at his brothers who were now too entranced by their gifts before turning back. Harry noticed that his eyes colored a dark grey suddenly which narrowed as he stared at Death.

"_I only wish to pass. And never be found by you until I am ready." _Death stayed silent for a few moments and Harry was sure of it this time. He was certain Death was smiling although for the life of him he'd never know how he knew seeing as there was nothing inside the hood except darkness.

"_As you wish." _He reached behind him a pulled out a cloak and Harry's breathing came to a stop. That cloak, he'd recognize it anywhere.

Ignotus stepped forward and took the silvery cloak and he could see that Ignotus was entranced by his gift like his brothers. Then he seemingly snapped out of it.

"_May we pass?" _Death nodded and moved aside but at that moment everything went dark for Harry and the last thing he heard was a quiet voice.

"_There will come a point when life stops giving us things and starts taking them away." _

* * *

**AN: I believe this is quite a bit shorter than the last but I still am trying to hover at my usual word count. **

**Again I apologize for the delay but the last few weeks were a nightmare. Tests, job, and personal stuff took me for a ride leaving me with some form of dementia. At least I think that was it lol.**

**I corrected one thing that I still can't remember why I kept doing it. A few of you pointed out I keep referring to Remus and Lupin. Believe it or not but I only noticed it recently. Thanks go out to all who pointed that one out. **

**There is also an important issue that a lot…and I mean a lot of you have pointed out to me. I finally realized that I was doing more harm than good by refusing to progress Harry and Fleur's physical relationship. As many of you pointed it out, it's unreal that they could just not even be considering it. **

**There will be a slight disappointment there though. I know I said should it come down to it, I would upload another version of this in another sight and include MA rated scenes. But… I just can't pull it off. I can't pull off a proper MA rated scene and I really, really suck at writing those. I laughed myself silly after trying one and I kept thinking, 'did you really write this? Like seriously did **_**you**_** write this?'. So to those who were expecting it, I'm sorry but it will not be as explicit as some hope. I will at the same time try to live up the scene to the 'M' rating I have given this but it will never be enough to warrant an 'MA'. **

**That's all then :) I'll try to get the next chapter up…hopefully a lot sooner than this. Can't make promises though. Finally, please let me know what you guys think of this chapter!**


	18. Chapter 18

**As always thanks go out to all of you for helping to keep this going. **

**So, without wasting time.**

**CHAPTER 18**

The entire Delacour family noticed something strange about Harry. Ever since the night after he got back from Grimmauld place, he'd seemed distracted about something. Fleur had no idea what was bothering him and try as she might, she couldn't get it out of him.

She wasn't able to stay at home all day either. True, summer felt like it had only just begun but she wanted to find something, a job…an apprenticeship…something to do when summer ended and he had to go back. So she had started leaving in the mornings with her father to the ministry to try and find something and get it settled early on.

Harry had been dissapointed because most of the time when she left she was only able to come back in the evening around 4 or 5. As much as she hated leaving him behind, she wanted to have something to do once summer ended. It would be more of a distraction if anything. The week after she'd come back from Hogwarts hadn't been pleasant, being cooped up in her room and thinking constantly about him.

Caroline and the others hadn't been able to make it as they had planned since all three of them like Fleur, were looking for what they wanted to do now. Apolline saw it as a good thing since Harry's exams were only a week away from today. He was now studying more seriously, making use of the time she wasn't there so he didn't have to bother with it when she got back. Gabrielle was delighted on the whole, Harry had taken to teaching her a few things here and there and she suspected Gabrielle would be more than a few steps ahead of her peers once she returned to Beauxbatons for her new term.

It had been Apolline who brought it to her attention that something was troubling Harry. He wasn't any different when they were together, but leave him alone and he seems to drift off into a world of his own and become oblivious to everyone around him.

"_This is impressive, but I have to ask, why would you want to become a healer?" _A voice asked, startling her from her thoughts as she looked up at Madame Bonnel, the woman that was interviewing her. She was at the Clinique Saint-Martin which was in Nantes. It was quite far away from home but with apparition, albeit unpleasant, it wasn't much of an issue. _"Something on your mind?" _Bonnel asked with a small smile.

"_I'm sorry." _She muttered, blushing slightly.

"_It's alright, but…" _Bonnel shifted her gaze back to the papers with her qualifications and rifled through them again. _"You are more than qualified to get an apprenticeship here. I see here that you were one of the champions of the Triwizard tournament too…second place I belive?" _She asked, looking up at her. Fleur nodded, her papers only said that she participated in it, it didn't give her position though.

Catching the look on her face Bonnel smiled. _"I recognize your name from the papers Miss Delacour." _She ginned back, she'd forgotten that the French papers had carried her name in the weeks after the tournament. _"Back to the question though, why do you want to be a healer? I see here that you have multiple career paths open to you so…" _

"_It's something I am interested in, I still am searching though…" _She said uncomfortably, this was the question she hated in interviews, it wasn't like they'd accept an answer like 'Because I like it'. To her relief Bonnel didn't pursue the answer.

"_Unlike the majority, you do have a lot of choices available to you so I understand your difficulty in answering it." _She laughed before adding. _"I myself had a similar problem when I was around your age, couldn't decide what to do." _She closed her file and gave it back to her. _"We will be happy to take you in, but I daresay you will need more time to make your final decision?" _

"_If it's not too much trouble." _

"_No, although we do expect an answer back within two weeks." _She nodded gratefully.

"_Thank you, I should have an answer by next week." _After a few more words with her, she was walking back outside the clinic, pausing to drop a few galleons into the donation box at the recepetion. She only had to choose what she wanted to do now. So far she'd gotten positions as a curse breaker or accountant with the Gringotts branch in Paris, a researcher for Astronomy in a research institute also in Paris and even some offers in different departments at the French Ministry.

Sighing she ducked into an alley and waited until the coast was clear before closing her eyes and turning on the spot, concentrating hard on her destination and felt the unpleasant sensation of apparition take over her. A few seconds later it was gone and she had to take a few deep breaths to steady herself. She understood Harry's hatred for magical travel and if she hadn't been eager to return home as soon as possible, she would have apparated back to the ministry and chosen the to take the floo which was something she could deal with. Apparating over long distances was not something she enjoyed.

Glancing at her watch she grinned when she saw it was still only 2:30pm. Apolline, Gabrielle or Harry wouldn't be expecting her back yet.

Pushing the front door open quietly she crept inside. The wards in the home prevented anyone apart from her family and Harry from getting in without their help. The TV was on and she could just see Gabrielle's head turned towards it. Going straight upstairs she entered Harry's room which they now shared but frowned when she found he wasn't inside. The table had an open Charms book along with some of his notes though.

Quickly ducking into the bathroom to take a shower she changed into some more comfortable clothes before heading back downstairs. Today had been tiring since she had to leave really early in the morning. Even Harry had been asleep when she'd gotten up and she had taken care not to wake him up as she'd slipped out from his arms. She wanted nothing more than to jump back in bed but she also wanted to drag him in with her.

Going back downstairs she sneaked up behind Gabrielle and tickled her to death making her shriek in surprise before collapsing into giggles.

"_Where's 'Arry?" _She asked once she'd stopped.

"_Outside." _

"_Oh? What's he doing there?" _Gabrielle pouted.

"_Mother told me to stop disturbing him." _She laughed and ruffled her hair fondly before walking out. In the garden she found her mother and grandmother sitting on the bench whose faces brightened when they saw her.

"_You're back early today." _Apolline said after she'd kissed her on the cheek. _"How did it go?" _She asked anxiously making her chuckle.

"_Healer is an option too." _Both her mother and grandmother exclaimed in delight at the news. _"Where is he?" _

"_He's at the back somewhere, near the river._ Apolline replied. _"He came down only about a half hour before you. He said he wanted some fresh air." _

"_He'll perk up when he sees you're back." _Alana added with a smirk. She started on the path leading out of the gardens and towards the river behind their house and it wasn't too long before she found, his back propped up against a tree with his wand in his hand. He didn't even notice she was right behind him until she ran her finger lightly down the back of his neck making him yelp in surprise and scramble out the way as she giggled.

"Fleur!" He exclaimed before his face broke into a wide grin when she walked over to him and held out her hand meaning to pull him up. Instead he leaned back against the tree and tugged her down, pulling her onto his lap and sliding his arms securely around her waist, smiling when she leaned back against him with a content sigh.

"What are you doing back 'ere?" She asked.

"Nothing much." He murmured softly. "How did it go?" She grinned before telling him about the interview.

"Zat's ze last one I'm going to." She finished with conviction. "I only 'ave to choose now."

"So no more leaving in the mornings?" He asked happily and she laughed and turned around, planting a swift kiss on his lips in response.

"What about you?" She asked softly after a few minutes of silence. "Ready for ze exams day after tomorrow?" He smiled nervously and she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Come on…you're ready aren't you?"

"I have gone through everything but..." He muttered uncertainly.

"Zen you're ready." She said firmly. The exams were only going to be held over a span of two days. Although this would be a little harder than normal since he wouldn't have too many breaks to get some revision before each exam once it began, she knew he had nothing to worry about. It was unnerving the amount of things he could remember.

"If you say so." He said with a small smile. She nodded approvingly.

"Shall we go back inside? Eet's chilly." He nodded and removed his arms from around her so she could move but she grinned mischievously as she got up. "You aren't going to carry me?" She asked with a pout. An evil smirk spread across his face and nothing could have prepared her for when he leapt to his feet and swept her off her feet. Literally. She shrieked in surprise and her face colored bright red when she realized they looked like a newlywed couple as he started towards the house, moving effortlessly as if she was as light as a feather.

"'ARRY! Put me down!" She yelled and she could see his smirk widen. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of her mother, Alana and Gabrielle at the bench. Her mother's mouth was open in surprise before she called, "'Ave fun!" before joining in laughter with the others while she hid her face in his chest which was radiating heat in waves. She was extremely embarrassed yet pleased at the same time but her pride wouldn't let him walk away unscathed after this.

She stayed quiet and she could see with satisfaction that he was starting to look uncertain now. She could almost hear him thinking wildly about his bold move and she had to struggle to keep a straight face. Once in their room he stopped uncertainly and this time she really did laugh before reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He gently set her down on the bed and tried to move away but her hand closed around his and yanked him down with her, he barely had a moment to think before her lips found his and all conscious thought stopped.

He pulled away making her moan at the loss but her breath hitched when she saw his eyes. It was like she was staring into a smoldering pit of green flames and the desire reflected in his eyes made her shiver in anticipation before she caught sight of the door to their room which was wide open.

"'Arry. Ze door…" Her voice turned into a purr when he moved down again. Forgetting about the door she returned the favor before gasping when he started moving down, trailing kisses down her neck and towards her mark. The moment his lips made contact with her skin pleasure coursed through her eliciting an involuntary moan. She was immediately silenced again when he moved back to her lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him as close as she could as she gently coaxed his lips apart with her tongue and neither knew anything more as they succumbed to pleasure.

The door slowly shut but it wasn't quiet enough as the faint click made their eyes snap open and he slowly drew away. He turned to look at the door but turned back when she started giggling as a small smile spread across his face.

"What?" He asked. She playfully tugged at his hair, messing it up even more than it was now. It seemed like her hands had been at work.

"You should look in a mirror." She murmured. He grinned before resting his head on hers with a content sigh. "And we need to remember to shut ze door and put silencing charms on eet ze next time. I don't want to be interrupted ze next time." She added with a growl and he laughed.

"I don't know what came over me." She was pleased when he didn't apologize and looked down noticing that her shirt was unbuttoned, exposing her chest.

"Pas s'innocent plus?" She cooed with a grin. He looked puzzled before his eyes moved to her chest and widened.

"I…" He was cut off abruptly when she silenced him with the most effective way she knew. It was intoxicating, like a drug she could never have enough of and laughed softly when he looked dazed once she'd finished.

"My only regret is we couldn't get get any further." She said softly. "'Arry…" She cupped his cheek making him look at her. "If eet's my consent you're looking for…I already gave it to you a long time ago." She giggled at the blush adorning his face before adopting a mock stern expression. "But eet just won't do for a veela to get dominated by 'er chosen non?" She said before suddenly rolling him over so that she was straddling him and pinned his arms over his head. He shook his head with a grin as she moved down to kiss him again.

After a few minutes she rolled over, snuggling up beside him and draping an arm over his chest.

"You're tired aren't you?" He asked softly after a few minutes as they watched the sunlight streaming into their room, casting a golden glow over them.

"A leetle."

"I'll let you sleep then." She moaned in protest and tightened her hold on him making him laugh. "Come on…I need to go through the books again."

"If you do, you will not touch ze books again tomorrow." She shot back.

"Sans doute." He said with a salute. She giggled before moving her arm amd she felt him put the blanket over her and kiss her cheek before she heard the door open quietly as he slipped outside. Before long she was fast asleep.

* * *

Harry sighed as he made his way downstairs. If he was completely honest with himself, he didn't feel like studying at all but there was something else nagging him at the back of his mind constantly. To be honest, it wasn't even his exams that were on his mind anymore.

Apolline and Alana both explained everything to him and he finally understood why they didn't care much about what he and Fleur got up to when they were on their own. He could still remember as if it were yesterday the day when they had finally sat him down to talk about what his and Fleur's relationship had become.

* * *

It had been the third day Fleur had gone to the Ministry with her father when Apolline and Alana had called him away from Gabrielle who seemed to have made it her mission to stick like glue at his side.

"Do you mind showing me where?" Apolline asked as they sat down in the living room. He didn't have to ask what she was talking about and suppressing his blush he pulled the neck of his T-shirt exposing the bit of his skin where the blue wing was imprinted. Alana murmured something in French which was too low for him to catch but Apolline smiled and nodded and he noticed with a frown that her eyes were rather watery.

"Is something wrong?" He asked uncertainly. He was extremely surprised when she pulled him into a hug and stilled before relaxing into her embrace.

It was easy. He didn't understand why but he felt safe in her arms, as if nothing could ever harm him. These were feelings he had locked away ever since he'd seen Petunia hugging Dudley in the middle of the night who had been woken up by a nightmare once when he'd been 7 years old. He had plenty of nightmares, but no one was going to hold him to make them go away. It was a fact he accepted at an early age but it still opened a rift in him. That rift was slowly getting healed.

"Zank you" She said softly, ruffling his hair as she drew away.

"Why?"

"For accepting 'er." She said simply.

"I…" He began but she shook her head, poking him gently on his forehead. She then launched into an explanation about everything she knew about the mark, helped by Alana who had to clarify some points.

He could understand why they were so relieved now...it carried far more significance than he'd initially assumed, even after what he'd heard from Fleur although she'd refused to elaborate any further than what she had told him and Sirius back at Grimmauld place. The thought that the mark might not have appeared made his blood run cold, everything would have come crashing down around them if it hadn't.

One particular piece of information made him gape at the veela pair. _"So…are you saying that we are now…" _He couldn't get the word out as he looked helplessly between Alana and Apolline.

"_Bonded…Mates…any name you want to give it." _Alana supplied. He was still too stunned to say a word.

"_That is just the way it is 'Arry. Fleur chose you and at the same time she can't deny her nature. We are very… possessive…when it comes to these things. Any veela will recognize that you are bonded to one of their kind just by the scent on you." _He looked up in surprise as she nodded. _"You carry part of her with you now just as your wand is also a part of her. Magic has joined you two together and there is nothing that can break that bond which is what my daughter wanted to ensure." _He nodded slowly before remembering what Fleur had said back at Grimmauld place about how this could help him and Sirius out with their plan to get him citizenship.

"_Yes it will. I think it would be best if you two go with my husband to the Ministry and have a look at the records. I'm sure Fleur's records should have changed by now. The Department head is a friend of mine and I may or may not have received a letter from her a few days ago demanding what happened to my daughter." _Apolline said with a small smile and she refused to elaborate any further than that.

Dominique also spoke to him later that day but it was a lot shorter than what he was expecting. It was understandable though because he had gone through the same thing with his wife and the fact that the mark had appeared was, as he assured him, was enough to set his mind at ease.

* * *

Downstairs he found Apolline sitting alone at the dining table. "You two _need _to remember to lock your door and set up silencing charms. The noises coming from the room scared the house elves and Gabrielle." Laughing at the mortified expression on his face she added with a mock stern expression, "I don't want to be a grandmuzzer yet so…"

"No! We didn't…" She shushed him.

"I don't need to know. But all I'm saying is zat you two remember to use appropriate measures when ze time comes. If I know Sirius…and I do…'e must already 'ave given you an earful on zis just as 'e is trying to teach you ze way into different women's 'earts." He couldn't help but laugh at this. "But ze next time I see 'im I'm going to 'ave a talk wiz 'im. I can't 'ave 'im trying to corrupt my son in law can I?"

"I won't." He muttered in embarrassment and she sighed before reaching up and ruffling his hair.

"We know." She said softly. "Off to ze library again?"

"Yeah."

"If you need 'elp wiz anyzing don't 'esitate to ask okay?" He nodded and after patting his arm she dissapeared up the stairs. After watching her disappear he entered the room next to the kitchen. It wasn't exactly what one would call an official library seeing as it was just a small room with two cupboards stacked full of books that the Delacour family had collected over the years.

He had used this room to study without being disturbed by anyone, namely Gabrielle who thought he was all hers for the time Fleur wasn't in the house. The little veela always followed him around, chatting away about anything she could think of and he couldn't find it in him to turn her away. In the end Apolline had shown him the room and made sure to keep Gabrielle away from it.

It was inside this very room that his newly acquired headache began.

* * *

He had fallen asleep for a few minutes once while he'd been going over his History of Magic notes. Who could blame him? Even without Binns the subject itself was boring if it wasn't dealing with Goblin rebellions or about some dark wizard, things which were unfortunately not covered for the O.W.L year. What was exciting about old warlocks trying to bring back the old laws?

When he'd woken up he noticed a rather large cream pale orange colored book which he hadn't noticed lying on the top of the heap of his school books on the desk. The title was emblazoned with fading gold letters _'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'_ and there was a picture of what he assumed to be in fact, a bard. If that was the proper name for a man wearing brightly colored clothes with a musical instrument in his he rifled through the pages he felt his eyes shift out of focus momentarily and all of the sudden he was staring at one story with a weird triangular rune on the corner of the page that he couldn't recognize. The title _'A tale of Three Brothers' _was written in bold letters.

It was like a faint voice whispering to him, egging him and he found himself reading it. He felt a chill down his spine and looked over his shoulder to see the sunlight streaming innocently in hitting his back directly through the window above. Puzzled he flicked through the pages, looking at the others titles. The whole book was written in French but the style showed that it was clearly for little children, the sort of stories a mother would use to put their children to sleep at night.

This story though, it didn't feel right. As if it didn't belong here. Puzzled he read through the story. After getting past the first paragraph he did a double take before reading on, his other books lying forgotten.

This story told about three brothers who came across a broken bridge which they had to cross to get to the other side. The waters rushing underneath a death trap. Apparently the brothers were all well versed in the magical arts and solved their problem by constructing a new bridge out of thin air which they used to get to the other side.

At the other side they were greeted by Death himself who was angry that the three had managed to survive. Hiding his displeasure he offered to reward each of them for besting him.

The oldest brother who was an arrogant and ambitious man asked for a wand, more powerful than any in existence and which could not bested. Death fashioned a wand out of the branches of a nearby elder tree which he then presented to the oldest brother.

The next brother who wanted to humiliate Death further, asked for the power to recall departed souls to the world of the living again. Death took a stone from the river bank and gave it to him.

However the youngest, and perhaps the wisest of the three, asked for something which would allow him to go from this place and never be found by Death again, to which Death reluctantly handed over his own cloak of invisibility.

The story went on to say that the oldest brother went to the next village and challenged and defeated a rival, boasting about how he'd gotten his wand from Death himself. He was then killed as he lay sleeping in bed before his wand was stolen from him leaving Death to take him.

The other brother followed a similar fate. He was able to bring back a woman he'd long since loved yet remained unrequited due to her untimely death. However he had underestimated death. She was separated from him as she could never truly belong in the world of the living again. Driven mad with longing he killed himself so as to truly join her allowing Death to take him.

The youngest brother was never found even though Death searched for him. It was only when he had attained a great age did he take it off, and finally, greeting Death as an old friend, departed together to the after life.

Throughout the whole reading Harry relived his whole dream from walking through the forest with Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus to their confrontation with Death. But, as he read the parts regarding the deaths of the brothers, he felt a growing sense of unease. As if something in him _knew_, something in him was telling him that what he was reading were false. As he read the story's conclusion, with the youngest brother departing with Death, he felt himself unconsciously shaking his head, disagreeing with what was written.

The nights that followed after reading the _'Tale of Three Brothers'_ were filled with images that made him sick to his stomach and had him waking up in ungodly hours in the morning with the raw feeling of pain and loss etched in him.

The first had him standing and watching helplessly as a hooded figure brought a body, wrapped tightly from head to foot in plain white sheets and laid it gently on top of a pile of logs. All around him the people, all of whom were wearing black robes with the hoods drawn started chanting in a strange language and he could feel his eyes beginning to burn as tears slid down his cheeks. The gentle hands that wrapped around his waist didn't help as he broke, watching the logs engulf in flames and slowly consume the body.

The next was worse. He was making his way up a hill, on top of where a lone cottage was situated. The sky was filled with storm clouds and he could tell a storm was approaching. Stopping in front of the door he knocked twice and waited, the feeling of foreboding increasing as every second ticked by. Unable to take it anymore he murmured under his breath and the lock melted off.

The door creaked open and what he saw made him drop to his knees as he stared, unable to believe what he was seeing. A man hanging with a noose around his neck from the beams in the ceiling, his feet dangling a few feet above a chair which was knocked over. An all too familiar, pure white stone on the ground.

The last he saw shook him to his core. This had him standing in the middle of a village which was on fire. The bodies of men, women and children on the ground, painting the snow a vivid crimson. His own hands were smeared red, one hand held tightly around a wand and the other holding a sword.

The flames, the screams and the entire village faded from view before he was suddenly staring at the sleeping form of a familiar silver haired woman. The last thing he noticed before his eyes snapped open was the ornate dagger that was protruding from her chest.

He had to stop himself from waking Fleur up in his relief after he'd checked that she was indeed only asleep next to him that night. After he'd calmed down he realized it wasn't Fleur he'd seen, it was the woman in his dreams, the woman he suspected as the wife of Ignotus. But the fact that she was unnervingly similar to Fleur left him paranoid.

* * *

Those were all he had seen. In a way he was relieved he wasn't forced to watch more of…whatever he was seeing. But also in a way he wanted to find out more.

Death didn't appear before him in his dreams anymore and he had a feeling it would be some time before he would. This irked him, he was left hanging. He was seeing these things for a reason and yet the lack of information, the number of questions that was burning inside him was driving him to madness in a way. Why did he feel such a deep sense of connection to the youngest brother? Why were the deaths of those people causing such pain to him?

He'd spent almost every waking moment apart from when he was forcing himself to go through his books or when he was with Fleur running these thoughts in his mind and spending most of his time in the library, flicking through the older volumes. He had one lead however which made him thankful he'd forced himself to listen to Binns last year.

The Elder wand. As soon as he'd seen the description in the story, _'Death fashioned a wand out of the branches of a nearby elder tree…'_ he'd felt a stirring in his memory. It wasn't too hard to find more information on it.

In his history books there was mention of an Elder wand, used by Emeric the Evil which had a power that could not be matched. Loxias, who was in possession of a 'Deathstick', Lilith who possessed the 'Reaper of souls', Mairead who possessed the 'Wand of Destiny'…the list was endless and it seemed history was splattered with the bloody trail of one wand which was more powerful than any in existence, coming up with different names according to the witch or wizard who got their hands on it.

Whether these wands were the same wand that Death made for Antioch coming up with different names, he didn't know. But it was the only thing he had to go on. No where, no matter where he searched, through the dusty ancestral volumes of the Delacours, he couldn't find any mention of a stone that had the power to recall the dead or a cloak which had the power to render anyone completely invisible.

His access to information was limited here and one of his main goals he had to complete once he got back to Hogwarts was to use the Restricted section to his full benefit, hopefully by not messing up the exams which were starting just day after tomorrow, he wouldn't need to keep getting signed notes from teachers to access it.

Shaking himself back to reality he stared at the _'Tales of Beedle the Bard' _which was lying innocently on the desk. No matter where he left it, be it in the shelves amid the other books or even on the far end of the room, each day he entered the room it was always there, sitting on the desk. At first he'd thought it was the house-elves who kept moving it but then again, why would they keep choosing to bring that particular book out and leaving it there for him?

He didn't mention any of this Fleur or the others, not even to Sirius or Lupin. The stress was eating away at him little by little but as much as he wanted to tell them everything, he didn't want them to think he was spiraling into madness.

He knew they wouldn't think so, that they would help him and reassure him…which was exactly what he wanted. But he feared that by voicing what he was seeing…by looking at what he was doing, obsessing over history and dwelling in his nightmares from another person's perspective, he wouldn't be able to convince himself that he himself was completely sane anymore.

Besides, how was he going to breach this subject with any of them? _'I have been speaking to Death'_? Laughing humorlessly at his own predicament he glared at the book which looked like it was mocking him before picking it up and stuffing it in between two rather heavy volumes in the far end of the room before sitting at the desk and opening his Potions book, stiffing a groan as he heard the ghost of the drawling voice of Snape; '5 points from Gryffindor Potter'.

* * *

"'Arry!" Grinning slightly he quickly muttered the list of 20 herbs that could be used to brew a Draught of Living Death quietly to himself before standing up and unlocking the door to find Fleur glaring at him with her arms crossed. "Do you know what time eet is?"

"Er…" He peered outside at the clock next to the dining table and felt his jaw drop in surprise. It was already 7! Quickly glancing outside he noticed the sky was already dark. Turning back to Fleur he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I er...lost track of time?"

"Are you finished?"

"Just a bit…" She narrowed her eyes at him drowning out any more words that were forming in his mouth.

"Maman told me zat you've been in zere since 3 in ze afternoon and zat eet 'as been zat way for ze past week! Zat's enough!"

"But…"

"No buts. You 'ave 10 more minutes to wrap up what you were doing and zat's all. From Tomorrow onwards you will not touch any books or come anywhere near zis place again." He started to protest but she grabbed him by his arm and pulled him outside and made him stand in front of the mirror in the kitchen.

His eyes had a weary, sunken look in them and his face looked slightly thinner than usual. His hair was a mess, he could have sworn he'd had his hair tied back but the band was missing. All the while he was staring at his reflection in surprise Fleur was muttering under her breath in about how she hadn't noticed it before and how she couldn't believe he'd push himself this much.

"Did you finally get 'im out of zere?" Apolline's voice floated in as she joined the two. She shook her head dissaprovingly at his disheveled appearance "I knocked a few times at about 5 in ze afternoon but zere was no answer."

"I…" He mumbled, straining to remember if he'd heard any knocks. She shook her head and smiled gently.

"I agree wiz my daughter. You 'ave done enough preparing for a lifetime. Use tomorrow to relax before ze exams, you 'ave nozzing to worry about." Then her face became stern. "Now go upstairs and have a shower and come down for dinner…both of you. You look like you 'avent been eating properly 'Arry and I intend to fix zat." The two women's faces broke into grins as he groaned. "Fleur, make sure your 'usband does as 'e is told." Laughing at the blushes covering his and her daughter's face she disappeared up the stairs, calling Gabrielle's name.

He was given no quarter. Fleur marched into the library and gathered up his books in her arms and marched him up the stairs to their room. Ignoring his protests she pushed him into the bathroom and handed him fresh clothes.

When he came out he found her lying on her stomach on the bed, reading a few pamphlets before she sat up on her knees and beckoned him closer.

"Close your eyes." She said with a mischievous grin. He obliged although not before eyeing her suspiciously and he felt her hands in his hair again, tying his hair back before letting him go. She was shaking in silent laughter and he curiously looked at the mirror.

She had tied his hair back in a ponytail with one of her own blue colored bands that he'd seen her don sometimes back in Hogwarts but she had left two rather long strands of hair coming at the sides of his face just over his ears making him look…

"I look like a girl!" He yelped and tried to tug it off only to find she'd cast a binding charm on it.

"A pretty girl." She corrected before dissolving into peals of laughter and being tackled back onto the bed by him and her laughter escalated as she gasped for breath, trying to get away from the merciless tickling she was subjected to.

In the end she ended up on top again and it ended up with him giving in to her and being pulled out of the room and downstairs by Fleur who had a wicked grin on her face. Just when he was wondering how he was going to endure the teasing from Dominique and Apolline a familiar voice rang out which made him groan and bury his face in Fleur's shoulder who was trying to tug him out into full view.

"Lily!" Sirius's voice floated out in mock surprise before laughter followed. Chancing a glance he growled as he saw his godfather, Remus and Dominique laughing fit to burst at him while Apolline and Alana were having trouble hiding theirs.

"What are you doing here?" He asked under his breath and Sirius dramatically clutched his chest.

"My goddaughter doesn't want to spend time with her godfather anymore? I have nothing more to do here…Moony, I'm going back to Azkaban." He said mournfully. "Ow!" He rubbed his arm which Harry had punched while the others looked on in amusement. "That hurts! I won't tease you anymore so stop glaring at me." Then without missing a beat he turned to Fleur. "Dam, is it her time of the month?" He asked suddenly with a raised eyebrow making Harry growl and punch his godfather again who blocked it, turning it into a small scuffle which none of the others tried to stop as they looked on in amusement.

"All set then Harry?" Remus asked as they all sat down for dinner with Apolline piling food on both Harry and Fleur's plates ignoring their protests saying that they had been missing out the last few days.

"I guess…" He muttered before catching sight of Fleur and changing it to a definite yes.

"Good…everything set then? Know where to go?" Sirius asked. He had received a letter from the Department of Magical Education in France instructing to which floor and room to come to the day after tomorrow. His first exam which was Ancient Runes, beginning at sharp 8am followed by Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology. It was hectic but at least this way it would all be over in a matter of a few days rather than over a week.

"I'll escort him to where he needs to go, don't worry." Dominique supplied before he could answer and that seemed to put his godfather to rest. Talk soon drifted to Fleur's job hunting where Sirius was quite enthusiastically suggesting she become a healer and whispered something in Fleur's ear which made her blush and avoid his gaze while Remus just told her to do what she felt she liked the most.

"How are things going with the order?" Dominique asked while Harry concentrated on eating while listening closely.

"We're going neither here nor there. Things have been really quiet. Even with Moony's front there's…" Sirius trailed off looking at Remus who nodded.

"Greyback hadn't made an appearance in a while. Everyone is drifting back to their normal routine which isn't exactly good but it's the best we can hope for." He muttered. "Just over three weeks ago everyone were rallying up to attack an entire town just near the Coln river. It wasn't entirely a magical community either. Thankfully Greyback didn't show up and everyone fell apart. Thank god wolves are nothing without their leader." He finished scathingly.

"And your minister?" Dominique asked.

"Do you have to ask?" Sirius growled. "The papers haven't changed much since the last one you saw." Harry felt a surge of anger in him before he forced it out of him. There was no point, he could spend every waking moment getting his feelings riled up at Fudge, the Daily Prophet and the whole English wizarding community who were buying into the lies printed on paper and achieve nothing but agitate himself further.

Sirius and Remus left soon after dinner after making him promise he'd floo call them or at least write to them about how the exams went. Seeing as there wasn't much else to do and Apolline insisting that both he and Fleur a proper night's sleep, what with her waking up every day the past few days early in the mornings. The two didn't argue much on that, even Harry who was beginning to feel the true toll of pushing himself, be it for the exams or the more worrisome dealings with the _'Tale of Three Brothers'_.

Nevertheless, the entire Delacour household had its lights out within the next hour.

* * *

The next morning Harry was shaken awake by Fleur. Granted, it was pretty late but he was moaning in protest as he tried to cover his head underneath his pillow and go back to sleep but there was no way he could win with her. She climbed on top of him and started poking and prodding until he finally got up and grudgingly moved to brush his teeth and have a shower wondering why on Earth she was so full of energy.

After a leisurely breakfast Fleur dragged him away to get changed and within half an hour they were outside, beating down the familiar path to the quaint little town he had come to love over the few visits they had made. It wasn't much seeing as both of them had been busy but he had a feeling after his exams were done they were not going to be home for the majority of the day. Fleur loved walking around hand in hand with him and he had absolutely no reason to complain about it.

Harry for his part enjoyed the day immensely They took in a movie at the local cinema. Although it was boring, he liked the feeling of just sitting there with their hands intertwined and in their own world behaving just like the other normal couples with them. It enabled him to forget everything…all the unpleasant memories. He had to agree with her, spending time away from everything was probably the best way for them to recuperate.

"Are you still having trouble deciding what you want to do?" He asked softly, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder with his hands wrapped firmly around her waist. She was sitting on his lap and shifted slightly. They were sitting on the exact same bench at the center of the town, underneath the clock tower where Fleur had brought him the first time they had come.

"I know now." She murmured. Then with a grin she leaned back to look up at him, her eyes gleaming beautifully. Even after all this time it never failed to make his heart skip a beat whenever she looked at him. "I zink I will take ze apprenticeship under Madame Bonnel."

"Really?" He asked in surprise. "I thought for sure you'd go for curse breaking or even take the Astronomy post?"

"Yes but seeing as you don't want me in England or anywhere near you for some reason…"

"Fleur it's…" She sighed audibly before pinching his arm.

"I know…you're just too easy 'Arry." He smiled faintly and she couldn't resist kissing him softly to make the smile permanent. "But…" She murmured, drawing back ever so slightly so her lips were still whispering against his. "A suggestion Sirius gave me 'olds some merit. As 'e put eet, I can be your…" He repressed a moan as she nibbled his lip gently before her voice dropped to a whisper. "…nurse…anytime you need." She giggled before taking pity on him and leaning back against his shoulder.

"Is it what you really like though?" He asked once he'd gotten his composure back.

"I still 'ave time. I only want somezing to keep me busy while you're at 'Ogwarts. I will take ze apprenticeship because I might not get a similar chance next year." She explained with a shrug. "After eets done I can decide if I want to carry on wiz eet or change. And I could also use my spare time to look for ozzer zings along ze way." She added as an afterthought before wrinkling her nose as she looked around. "Shall we go somewhere else?"

They had attracted a few people who were shamelessly gazing at them. More than content to get away from it all they quickly got up and made their way back into the center of town where they spent the rest of the evening in a small café.

It was almost 6 in the afternoon when they finally got bored and decided to start heading back. Apolline had told them that they didn't need to come back for dinner if they preferred to have it outside but the town was unusually crowded as even Fleur couldn't explain why the number of people around them kept increasing as the sky steadily darkened. They seemed excited about something and curious, they followed the crowd that was eagerly making its way to the center of town.

They hadn't noticed it, but the center had transformed in the space of the few hours they had left it. It looked like some kind of festival and he was reminded vividly of how it was at the Quidditch world cup. Grinning widely Fleur tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him with her.

"'Of course! Every year we 'ave ze summer festival 'ere! I always look forward to eet."

"Doesn't seem like much if you forgot about it." He said cheekily.

"Zis year I 'ad somezing better to look forward to non?" She countered making him laugh as the proceeded on towards the rows of stalls which were filled with trinkets and different merchandise along with different types of food that had even him itching to try due to the tantalizing aroma. They decided to get an early dinner from one of the stalls where a large group of people were gathered around. While the food wasn't exactly up to the standards of Apolline's cooking, it was still good enough for both of them to get second helpings.

There were many street performers gathered all around the place along with a few mimes. It was his first time seeing one and Fleur was working hard to stifle her laughter as he came face to face with one who started mirroring his movements so precisely that he backed away immediately with an expression of pure astonishment which was immediately copied by the mime.

They spent most of their time just looking around. As Fleur assured him, the festival would be going on for a full two weeks before it would be moved onto the next town. The lights, music…crowds, while it would normally be something that turned him off it was different this time. It still managed to retain a measure of peace despite the sounds of laughter mixed along with people's voices and music. Maybe it was just that this was a small, less urbanized town.

It wasn't like this was his first time being to one of these things. He was taken to something like this by the Dursleys back when he was about 6 years old. He had been excited but immediately found that it was not all that he'd expected as he had to trudge behind the Dursleys who were buying different things for their 'diddykins' and virtually forgot about him who was trying to block out the loud music and shouts while wishing he was back inside his cupboard under the stairs.

This time he had Fleur, he had someone that _wanted_ to be with him and he was having enough fun by watching her face light up at the sights. It was honestly the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and will ever see for the rest of his life.

"'Arry?" He looked up distractedly and realized he had just been standing still. "What's wrong? Do you want to go back?" She asked.

"No, sorry I just…" He trailed of uncertainly and shook his head. "It's nothing." She sidled closer up to him.

"What?" She asked again gently. He smiled softly at her, she'd only prodded him for an answer if she knew something was troubling him. Maybe it showed in his eyes when he remembered the Dursleys. Even after all this time the neglect he faced at the hands of the Dursleys still lurked in him, rearing its ugly head every now and then.

"I just remembered the first time I went for something like this." He said simply. "I hated things like this back then." She bit her lip worriedly.

"I didn't know zat 'Arry I…" Her eyes widened when he leaned closer and put his finger on her lips much like she'd done just a few hours ago.

"Everything's so much better and I like being here. And its all because of you." She leaned her head against his, closing her eyes and forgetting about the crowd around them. It was unspoken, yet they knew what the other wanted. She knew he wanted…no, neededthe intimacy just like she craved it. Nothing could change the past, but she alone had the power to heal him. They stayed together for a few moments longer before she slowly opened her eyes to find the gleaming emerald orbs gazing at her.

"Zen let's use ze time we 'ave togezzer to make up for what you lost?"

"If you say so." He replied with a grin. She gently squeezed his hand before intertwining it more firmly with hers as they continued on. Curious to see why there was a number of people all hurrying towards the center, right beneath the clock tower, they followed.

The sounds of lively music grew louder as they approached and at the center they found about 4 people up on a small makeshift stage laughing and playing a lively melody which Fleur informed him was a well known, traditional piece in France. The crowd gathered around were all dancing in couples, almost in perfect synchronization with each other. It looked easy and the looks of pure joy on their faces combined with the catchy tune was enough to have everyone clapping to the music and encouraging the dancers on as more and more people were getting dragged in despite their weak protests by those that were looking for a partner.

One look at Fleur was enough to tell him what she wanted to do as she turned to him with a mischievous grin.

"No….no no no no no." He muttered under his breath backing away slightly.

"Why?" She asked, putting on her best pleading look that she knew he couldn't resist.

"I…but…" She couldn't help the grin tugging on her lips and it was getting harder to maintain her pleading face. He was visibly breaking down as he couldn't look anywhere but at her. "Stop looking at me like that…" He whined.

"Come on 'Arry." She said softly, releasing his hand and moving a few steps away from him before offering it again in the same way the people around them were offering there's to the people in the crowds as an invitation to dance. At this point he couldn't say no to her. The people around them were laughing and calling their encouragement to him and the pleading look in her eyes was something he could never for the life of him say no to.

Hesitantly he took her hand and allowed her to pull him towards the dancers as the people who had been encouraging him in the back cheered making him grin sheepishly. A slow tune was starting up again signalling a new song was just beginning.

"Just follow my lead." She said with a grin. "Eet's easy, you'll be able to pick up ze steps in no time." He shrugged and returned her smile before wrapping his hand around her waist. Giggling at the small blush on his face she slowly walked him through the footwork as the tune was gradually speeding up.

A few minutes later she was laughing as they twirled around, mimicking the other couple's movements. Harry's eyes were alight with unrestrained joy and she knew she had been right to pull him however unwilling into this. He was by no means the best dancer in the world as he was just doing his best to avoid stepping on her feet but the rate at which he was memorizing the steps were unmatched. Show him how its done once and he could repeat it flawlessly.

As the hours went on, both lost track of time. They were perfectly synchronized with the other couples and Harry was actually laughing as he spun Fleur around before dipping her. He rarely let himself go like this with other people watching and it was a shame. His smile, his laughter was infectious as the people who caught sight of the two were unable to look anywhere else but at them, clapping and egging them on.

Numerous people, men and women alike tried to cut in but they were ignored. She noticed his hold on her was more possessive as they danced to a slow tune. Both his hands were on her hips and hers were wrapped around his neck as they swayed to the tune. She leaned her head against his, gazing into his blazing green eyes which were pulling her in, consuming her. She could see everything, his feelings for her were reflected just as fiercely as the time when he'd first confessed his love for her at the night of the Yule ball.

"My Fleur." He murmured softly as they stopped swaying to the music. She felt her cheeks burn at being 'his' Fleur and was unable to stop the smile spreading across her face. She was well and truly lost in his eyes as he leaned closer, his lips finding hers. She pressed herself more firmly to him, one of her hands cupping his cheek and pulling him closer to her as she returned the kiss far more passionately.

The crowd was forgotten and neither knew how long they stood there, locked in embrace. Finally after what felt like could have easily been several days they slowly drew apart. Her lips were far redder than they had ever been. They slowly became aware of the catcalls and wolf whistles all around them and she buried her face in his chest with a small smile while he was grinning like a fool.

Since it was quite late she suggested she apparate them back home to which he reluctantly agreed. Promising to do her best she tightened her grip on his hand and spun on the spot in a deserted alley just outside a grocery store, concentrating hard. After a brief moment of being engulfed in the suffocating sensation they were standing right in front of the doorstep to the Delacour household.

Inside they found Apolline and Dominique lying together on the couch with a blanket over them and watching a movie.

"I knew you two'd be late." Dominique said with a grin, turning to them. "How was the festival?" He asked as Harry sat on one of the chairs with a sigh before having Fleur drop into his lap.

"Eet was great! Papa we all need to go sometime. 'Arry and I even danced!" Apolline smiled at their flushed faces.

"Yes we definitely 'ave to go togezzer. Once 'Arry's exams finish?" She suggested to which both Fleur and to their amusement, Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Are you two 'ungry? I can…" Both of them immediately shot her down, while it had been sometime since they'd eaten, neither were hungry. "You 'ave to wake up early tomorrow 'Arry. Fleur, both of you better go to bed as soon as possible." Fleur nodded before getting up. After bidding goodnight to them, they made their way wearily up the stairs beginning to feel for the first time the effects of the day.

Fleur made Harry shower first. When she was done a few minutes later she found him asleep already and after slipping into her nightclothes, she climbed in and snuggled at his side, draping her leg over him and throwing the covers over them before snuggling up at his side as she let sleep take over her too.

* * *

The next day Harry was shaken awake at 6 in the morning by Apolline. After slipping out slowly from Fleur's arms so as to not wake her he stumbled into the bathroom before quickly brushing his teeth and taking a shower. His nerves were slowly growing at the thought of the exams but it was to be expected. Unlike the last times he'd taken an exam, he wasn't dreading it. He was prepared and he only wanted to get it over with.

Stepping outside he quickly slipped onto the pair of jeans and white shirt that Apolline had left for him on the chair. Hearing a small giggle he froze and turned to find Fleur sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes.

"Thanks for ze view 'andsome." She said with a grin, lying on her stomach and gazing at him with her legs swaying in the air behind her. Blushing slightly when he realized he'd stepped out of the bathroom in just his boxers before dressing up, he walked up to her before crouching at the foot of the bed in front of her.

"Only for you." She laughed before poking his forhead and gently tracing the scar.

"Ze ozzers will wonder what I 'ave done to you." He grinned as she cupped his cheeks with her hands and pulled him closer, kissing him tenderly. "Good luck."

"Thanks. Now go back to sleep." He murmured, smiling at the pout she was giving him. She rolled over to the side and picked up her blue hairband off the bedside table before sitting up on her knees.

"Oh come on 'Arry eet suits you. We were only joking zen" She said with a laugh as she saw him watching her apprehensively. He allowed her to tie his hair back in a ponytail just as before.

"I'll see you later then." He said softly. She nodded before kissing his cheek and falling back to bed, watching him dissapear through the door.

Downstairs he found Hedwig perched on one of the chairs on the table table. She hooted as soon as she saw him and flew over, perching on his shoulder and nipping his ear gently. She had two letters clutched in between her talons and which he took, glancing at them curiously before sitting down and thanking Apolline who was set a plate in front of him and began buttering his bread.

"She came wiz ze letter a few 'ours earlier." She commented as he unrolled the first one. The second he noticed had the Hogwarts seal on it.

_Mr. Potter,_

_It seems you have forgotten about us. Having too much fun with Fleur are we? _(He grinned when he saw the names at the bottom) _We aren't going to leave you two alone for much longer so be prepared! As soon as Amy gets back from Bulgaria (Yes she and her boyfriend really hit it off…Caroline's jealous) we will all be expecting you and Fleur. Fleur told us your exams will be done before this weekend so we will be arriving sometime then. _

_Good luck for the exams! None of us are going to forgive you if you don't do well so…no pressure. _

_Love, _

_Aurélie & Caroline (Your illegitimate girlfriends). _

He was grinning widely as he reached the end and even Apolline was chuckling when she saw the signature.

"Why 'Arry you've been a very busy man 'aven't you?" She asked slyly. Laughing at the look he was giving her she gestured at the plate.

"Alright alright, now eat. I need to go drag my 'usband 'ere or 'e's going to skip breakfast again." She said in a dissaproving tone as she disappeared towards the living room. Taking a bite from the bread he set took the next letter bearing the Hogwarts seal. It was surprisingly short and quite different from the usual format his letter from school were.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Make sure you do your best. The Headmaster and the whole faculty sends their wishes. Make us proud. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress. _

Sighing softly he turned back to his food. The whole faculty…although he wasn't sure about Snape. Grinning slightly he shook himself. He was going to try as hard as could to do this properly.

Dominique came in, dressed in his normal Auror robes and being pulled by the ear of his wife and Harry had to stifle his laughter as Apolline forcefully sat him down opposite him and put the set the plate down in front of him.

"Oh stop giggling Harry you're going to face the same thing with Fleur…believe me." He muttered under his breath.

"Zat's only if 'e acts as childish as you which I'm certain 'e won't. Now eat!" Apolline commanded and both men immediately concentrated on eating without another word.

As soon as they were done Dominique got up. "All set then?" He nodded nervously before being pulled into a hug by Apolline.

"Good luck." She said softly before kissing his cheek. "You'll be fine."

"Thank you." She nodded before moving to kiss her husband.

"Harry I know you hate this but I'm going to apparate us there ok? The floo networks will be busy now since it's the morning and we won't get there in time if we take the muggle way." He said apologetically.

"That's alright." He took hold of Dominique's arm firmly.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." Almost immediately he was consumed by the unpleasant sensation before it ended within a couple of seconds and they were standing in the Atrium of the French ministry, surrounded by a mass of people.

"Stay close to me." Dominique said loudly over the noise. Harry hurried after him, glancing at his watch. It was 7:45 and he had 15 minutes before the exams started.

They got into the elevator which almost immediately started ascending. At the first floor several of the people with them got off before it started moving again. Finally when they reached the fourth floor Dominique got off and he followed suit. They hurried down the long corridor before they reached a door with a sign outside labelled 'O.W.L applicants'.

"It's in here Harry. I don't think I'll be here for the rest of the day, I have some business I need to attend to. You will be getting an hour's break for lunch yes?" He nodded. "Dam…and you have exams for almost the whole day?" He muttered with a low whistle. "You'll be able to find your way around here right?" He asked worriedly.

"I can sir, don't worry." Harry replied with a smile.

"I'll try to be back in time when you're done. You'll be finished around 6 right?" He nodded. "If I'm not outside, just head downstairs and into the central floo network. My friend will be there and he will fix you up with a way back home." He nodded again and Dominique clapped his shoulder reassuringly. "Do your best ok?"

"I will and thanks." Dominique smiled before nodding. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Almost as soon as he'd entered the door shut behind him.

The room he was in was huge, about half the size of the Great hall back at Hogwarts and that alone was astonishing. There was a number of people sitting at the very front of the room behind a long table who he presumed were the examiners. There were individual tables and chairs set a respectable distance apart from each other and a woman that looked to be in her late twenties with long reddish-brown hair and pale grey eyes approached him.

"You must be Monsieur 'Arry Potter?" she asked kindly and he nodded. "Right zis way dear." She lead him to a table which had the Hogwarts coat of arms imprinted on it. "Ze exam will be beginning in a few minutes, quills and all tools required will be provided zen. Ze practical will take place right after ze written exam." He nodded in understanding. "Bonne chance."

The other tables were occupied by about 16 or so students, most of who looked to be around his age. He also noted that there were only 3 males counting himself. One of the males sitting two seats away from him caught his eye as he was looking around, his blonde hair short and spiky and wearing glasses who smiled nervously at him before inclining his head. A pretty brunette sitting right in front of him who was also looking around caught his eye and she smiled before mouthing 'good luck' which he returned with a grin.

Soon four witches started walking down the aisles between the desks, handing out papers. He noticed that not everyone were doing the same exams as each other as he caught sight of what seemed to be an Arithmancy paper which was given to the girl in front of him before he got his Ancient Runes paper. Taking a deep, calming breath he wrote his name, school and age as instructed before turning the page and reading the first question.

_Translate the following…_With a small grin he bent over the paper and soon the only sounds that filled the room were the sounds of quills scratching on paper and the footsteps of the examiners.

Harry was caught in a dilemma. He was done, he had actually finished his first exam within 45 minutes when the amount of time offered for it was an hour and a half. Maybe he was just paranoid, but he felt like it was just too easy. He kept checking and rechecking, trying hard to find any mistakes he could have made but could find none. Finally giving up after he could find nothing wrong with it, he slumped back on his seat and buried his face in his hands, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself down. He did not see one of the examiners that were walking past he table peer at his paper and give an approving nod before moving on.

When the papers were collected they were asked to stand up as the desks and chairs dissapeared. Each of them were assigned to different examiners according to the exams they took. Harry and four other girls were assigned to the same woman who'd led him to his desk who smiled up at them as they approached.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name iz Miranda Belrose and I am ze Professor of Ancient Runes of Beauxbatons." She beckoned Harry forward. "Since you are ze only male wiz us 'ere let us start wiz you shall we?" She asked with a grin and he rubbed his head sheepishly while the girls behind him giggled. "Please follow me." To the others she gestured at a long bench set against a wall. "'Ave a seat, I will be back and call for ze next one."

Harry followed her as she led him to the corner of the room where the runic alphabet was imprinted on stone panels which were floating around them. There were a number of objects around them and she took a seat on the chair. Almost immediately all sounds from around the room stopped.

"Now Monsieur Potter, let's start with something really simple alright? Show me 'ow you would use one of zese runes to add a simple magical property to zis cauldron 'ere. Eet can be anyzing you want." She added as an afterthought. He nodded and drew out his wand. After carefully going through he selected the basic rune for 'fire'. Directing it over to the cauldron he murmured _"Infigo" _and watched as a copy of the rune imprinted itself at the side of the cauldron, glowing a bluish white before it faded and allowed the stone panel to float back to join the others in a circle.

"Self heating?" professor Belrose asked with a smile and he nodded. She pointed her wand at it and the rune showed itself, glowing red before it faded. "Well done. Now then…" The things he had to do steadily go harder and harder. They moved on past adding magical properties to strengthening different materials, chaining and combining different runes together to make an entirely new one and so on.

His final task was to conjure a new rune without the aid of the stone panels. This was definitely the hardest he'd ever done, normally even professional Runemasters didn't use this method since it would be catastrophic if even the slightest mistake was made during its formation.

Nevertheless he suceeded in creating the basic rune for 'element', a feat which impressed professor Belrose greatly as she gazed at the rune floating just a few inches in front of the tip of his wand. Once it was done he was sent outside and almost as soon as he'd moved a number of steps away the murmuring of students filled the air again.

He and some of the others who were done were directed to a room outside of the hall which was large and spacious, filled with comfortable chairs and a refreshment stand. He didn't have much time to relax though, Charms was beginning in half an hour so he just spent the time mentally going over his Charms notes.

They were called back in again and he found this paper ridiculously easy. The wand movements, the incantations, everything was imprinted at the back of his mind and it was merely just the task of getting what was needed on paper.

He managed to execute the practical almost flawlessly judging by the growing smile of Mr. Deniel, the Charms examiner from the Department of Magical Education of the Ministry. The only thing he found a little difficult was when attempting the advanced Levitation charm to levitate 3 chairs at once. He had three tries and failed to reach the desired height the first two times but on his third attempt he succeeded.

After Charms they were all given a break for lunch and the whole group made their way to the employee's cafeteria on the ground floor. There, during lunch he managed to make a new acquaintance, the one who had sat in front of him during the Ancient Runes exam.

The girl was from Durmstrang and went by the name of Liliya Krastev.

"Harry Potter?" Liliya asked with wide eyes right after he introduced herself. Only his quiet chuckling brought them back to reality.

"But…but you look so…different."

"How so?" He asked curiously.

"I remember reading about you in a paper about the Triwizard tournament?" She asked uncertainly and he sighed before nodding. "But you look completely different now! There was a picture of you but it looks nothing like you do now!" He shrugged.

He supposed it was true, he could barely recognize himself anymore when he looked at the mirror now, especially with the way Fleur had taken to tying his hair. It was scary how much he'd transformed in a year.

He looked nothing, absolutely nothing like he'd gotten accustomed to over the previous year. His facial features had become smoother around the edges and looked more angled than ever giving him an almost…exotic appearance. He had looked at the pictures of his parents and he couldn't understand it, but he no longer carried the unnerving likeness to his father anymore, instead he now bore a startling resemblence to his mother, minus the obviously feminine features. Even his untidy hair had calmed somewhat.

She suddenly grinned mischievously. "My sister is going to be so jealous when she finds out." He looked up at her warily.

"Why?"

"She was one of the few who were in Hogwarts last year. Do you remember anyone with the name Mira?" He frowned as he thought.

"Not sure…long blonde hair? Tall?" She nodded enthusiastically and he grinned. "Didn't get to talk to her a lot though."

"Hmm…she did have a small crush on you."

"What?!" She giggled at the blush on his face.

"Yes, you have gotten rather popular in our school…especially after the tournament. If only Mira could see you now…" She added with an evil grin. "Too bad though almost everyone knows about you and the champion from Beauxbatons."

They continued talking in between bites until they had to start heading back in time for their third exam. Both of them had Transfiguration so after a few minutes for everyone to get settled in at the hall the papers were handed out and silence fell once again. The research he did for the second task on human transfiguration certainly came in handy.

The time for practicals came and he and almost all the other students were examined by two examiners this time since all of them had Transfiguration this time. One was a woman who looked friendly enough but due to his luck he was in the group that was examined by a man that couldn't seem to be able to crack a smile.

The man didn't even introduce himself and just grunted whatever he wanted to be done. Just like earlier, they started small, turning a matchbox into a small rat and so on. He even managed the bonus point which was turning one material to another. It took his second attempt to turn the block of wood into one of metal and he could tell the man was impressed against his will. Nevertheless he was happy with the result and knew he had given professor McGonagall a reason not to bite his head off the next time she sees him.

When the time came for Herbology he honestly felt like his head was going to split open. An entire day of focusing on one bit of information extensively one after another was certainly taking its toll.

He only managed because of the training in Occlumency. While it was a defense against external intruders, it also carried a number of bonus additions which enabled anyone to control their emotions, organize their thoughts and do so much more. All of which he had been using to full effect in his studies. He also had a strange feeling that every single one of the students taking the exams with him probably had received some form of training in Occlumency…one way or another. If not…they probably weren't human.

Herbology was mainly just a matter of remembering the properties of magical plants. It wasn't as much of a challenge if any as his earlier papers. The practical that followed was nothing more than identifying different plants, demonstrating how to handle devil's snare (although on a much smaller scale – in the form of a potted plant) and so on.

When they were let out at 6 in the afternoon he could only register muttering his good byes to Liliya who looked just as weary as he did, as did everyone else. Thankfully Dominique was waiting just outside and catching sight of his haggard figure put his arm around his shoulder and led him through the ministry and straight to the floo.

Fleur and the others were waiting anxiously for them and as soon as they entered the living room no one spoke as they all watched Harry for a reaction. He smiled tiredly trying to ignore the sharp throbbing pain in his head before giving them a thumbs up to which Fleur heaved a sigh of relief. After a quick shower and an early dinner he was fast asleep, trying to get himself back to working condition before the rest of the exams took place tomorrow and when it would all finally be over.

* * *

The whole agonizing routine started again with his first exam, History of Magic. This was truly one that posed problems. Even with all the memorizing, try as he might he wasn't able to answer everything. It wasn't like he was expecting much, he hardly had any liking for that subject. The only thing that offered him comfort was that after this he wouldn't have to take it again.

A small break was given and they had over 2 hours to have lunch. He stuck behind, watching with some of the other students, the few who were having their practicals including Liliya who was lucky enough not to have History of Magic. He felt slightly put out as he watched her perform her practicals for her exam 'Enchanting' which was somewhat like Ancient Runes…in some ways at least. He wouldn't have complained at all to learn the things she and some of the others were doing with their wands and made a mental note to look into it when he had time.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat with her who was more than enthusiastic to tell him more about Durmstrang while he in turn was badgered for clarification on some of the things she'd heard about him from Mira. Some of it was just plain wacky and he burst out laughing uncontrollably when she asked if he really had a tattoo of a dragon on his back.

The next three exams were a breeze. Potions was just…let's just say Snape was going to look more surly than ever. Practicals ended up with him brewing a perfect Draught of Living Death.

Astronomy went exceptionally well too and he was mentally thanking the hours he spent with professor Sinistra and he wrote down the constellations and the alignments in between working out the calculations. The practicals was one of the most fun he had as they were led to a room with a ceiling enchanted to look just like the night sky along with a set of telescopes provided for each and every one of them from which they made their observations and jotted down their calculations.

Defense against the Dark Arts…Harry was by no means immodest but here there was no other words for it. With the training he got from Sirius and Lupin, coupled with the preparations for the third task, he could have taken the N.E.W.T level and come out with something in between 'Exceeds Exceptions' and 'Outstanding'.

The practicals brought about something extremely interesting. After demonstrating a perfect Reductor curse which a block of metal into a very fine powder, the examiner, a Mr. Hawks who was an Australian professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts for a very selective and outstanding magical academy there clapped his hands enthusiastically.

"Perfect." He said simply with a grin making Harry blush at the praise. "I expected nothing less from the champion of the Triwizard tournament. I wonder…" He shuffled slightly before leaning closer to him. "Professor R.J Lupin is a personal friend of mine." He said while Harry looked at him curiously. "He has mentioned in some of his letters and in the aah…meetings…" Here Harry's eyes widened as Hawk's winked knowingly. "…That you can perform a perfect Patronous charm. Do you think you could do it? For a bonus point perhaps?"

Harry grinned back in response before frowning for a moment. He had much, much better memories than what he had back when he last performed the charm. If the times he spent together with Fleur were not his most happiest memories, he didn't know what were. Concentrating hard on the memory of when Fleur returned his feelings at the night of the Yule ball he pointed his wand at nothing in particular and murmured, _"Expecto Patronum."_

The room was filled with a blinding flash of white before it slowly diminished, concentrating to one area. The whole room, even Harry, watched, captivated as his patronous slowly took its form.

Wings appeared first. Large, elegant and beautiful as they slowly spread out. They were connected to the back of a woman, a woman that he could easily recognize anywhere he went, with her waist long hair, her figure…everything. Her back was turned to him and facing the rest of the room, all of who were watching in awe. She turned to him and he felt his breath catch in his chest.

"My Fleur." He whispered. Her lips quirked upwards in a smile before she slowly faded, leaving him standing with an ache of longing in him and he had to mentally slap himself a few times, reminding himself that she was there, and that she was waiting for him to come back home.

"Am I done?" He asked softly. The stunned professor could only nod and he left the room, his footsteps making the only noise as he quietly opened the door and stepped out.

Back inside the room Hawks was shaking his head in amusement, still trying to wrap his mind around how the boy…a mere boy that wasn't even of age produced one of the most powerful patronous charms in existence.

"An angel huh?" He muttered to no one in particular before turning and calling the next student forward.

* * *

**AN: There we go. **

**I was busy...as most of you know, the finals for all of us who like torturing ourselves in college is literally upon us. I barely had time to keep up with everything, thanksgiving was a godsend since it actually gave me room to breathe. **

**It was quite endearing to find so many people looking forward to more updates, thanks guys! You all don't really have to worry about me giving up on this but well, like I said earlier, near constant updates is a thing of the past. Last semester of college was a breeze and I had a ridiculously large amount of free time in my hands even with my job which is the reason why I was able to update constantly. This time, things aren't the same…it's actually forcing me to work. **

**So…as always hope this chapter came out right. I did add some French sentences in somewhere…err can't remember much. Got it translated from a friend 'cuz my French is just terrible. It could be gramatically incorrect but…*hums innocently* **

**Please review, let me know what you liked/didn't…feel free to point out any mistakes I made and I'll try to correct 'em asap. **

**Oh yeah and err, Weasley bashing, Granger bashing…(I don't even know if you could say what I'm doing to Hermione is 'bashing'…not anymore at least) it's going to progress on how I intended it. So if you are turned off by it, the solution is pretty simple as I've presented one a some chapters ago. I'm only writing this the way I want it to be in my twisted little imagination and I won't do it any other way. This part of my AN goes to a VERY small portion of the readers…about 0.06% (I do suck at math though) I believe…I know there are many who don't like it but at least they do what any normal reader who is turned off by something does. Near constant PM's nagging me about this and just how much you dissaprove…Let's just say its not something I'm fond of. **

**Thanks again for reading this! I can't say when I will start working on the next one. Hopefully soon…Even I want to see how I'm going to bring about a conclusion to this story. Weird right? :)**


	19. Chapter 19

…**I still can't believe I did this. So yeah, there's something near the end of this chapter for all you perv…err…anyway…you get the idea. It's near the end and I don't want to disrupt the flow of the story by putting a big line near it. You guys are smart, if you want to skip it, do so. No, it is not explicit in case anyone is wondering. I'm still unable to write it that way.**

**CHAPTER 19**

"You alright?"

"Hm? I…yes." Harry muttered, pulling himself back with great difficulty from his thoughts as he fixed his eyes on Dominique who was frowning at him from his seat.

"I'm sorry you have to wait Harry, I'm sure today must have been a very tiring day for you but this…"

"It's alright sir, I like getting the look around." He said with a smile. Dominique grinned back.

"Of course. And if you're interested…of course my wife and daughter will want my head for this because they'll think I'm trying to make you an Auror…" He chuckled while Harry shook his head in amusement. "We'll be on our way just as soon I get these papers sorted out."

He nodded before walking up to the wanted poster at the back of Dominique's personal office which had different pictures of wizarding criminals with rewards underneath. Some of them were downright creepy, one even had a mask although it wasn't the same as the one used by Death Eaters. This one looked like he was wearing a mask straight out of a muggle horror movie.

It had been exactly 15 minutes since his exams had ended. Dominique had been waiting outside for him but just as they'd reached the ground floor he'd remembered that he had forgotten to do something and Harry thought he'd just tag along with Dominique to get a good look around the Auror department. They were going to be heading home soon and besides, Fleur wasn't expecting him to be done so soon, neither had counted on him being called up first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical.

"4 million galleons…" He muttered under his breath, reading the reward under the masked man and Dominique looked up just in time to see which face Harry had been staring at.

"4 million galleons if it's his dead body." Harry turned to him in surprise. Dominique got up, a stack of papers under his arm and crossed the room to where he was standing and stuffed the papers in between some books on the shelf nearby before coming to stand next to him. "7 million galleons if he's caught alive. We've had this place crawling with bounty hunters ever since last Wednesday. Normally I don't like involving them on this but with scum like this on the loose, I'm willing to use any help we can get."

Harry just stared in disbelief, such a huge amount. Not even Sirius was wanted for that much back in Britain and his 'crime' was supposed to be one of the worst. "What has he done?" He asked as Dominique went back behind his desk to pick up his briefcase. Dominique didn't answer immediately as he first opened the door and ushered Harry outside before closing and locking it. The offices outside were half empty and they were among the last to leave.

He sighed as they started down the darkened corridor towards the lift. "The worst of the worst…rape, murder, a tendency to take trophies of his victims. He makes the Death Eaters seem tame. Oh yes, he's not a Death Eater." He added at Harry's startled expression. "You don't honestly think the world is divided between the light and Death Eaters do you?"

"No…no of course not." Harry replied, slightly ashamed because he _had _initially thought this was a Death Eater.

"There are worse, much worse groups than the Death Eaters Harry. In fact, there are some who make Voldemort and his supporters look like misguided vandals by the atrocities they commit. This man is a prime example…only targets young women and children. The scale is huge, this man has never been caught and he has been the cause of the deaths of 7 of our finest Aurors." Closing his eyes he let out a deep breath before sighing. "Let's not talk about this…" He muttered before asking, "How were your exams?"

"Oh er…fine." Harry muttered distractedly. Dominique looked like he was going to ask him something but seemed to think better of it, something which he was grateful for as they continued through the ministry. His head was still trying to digest what he'd just learnt.

As they slowly walked, navigating between the crowds in the large corridor, his thoughts drifted back to what happened during the DADA practical.

It had been a stag…always been a stag. Why did it change? Why had it taken the form it does now? There was a slight disappointment as he felt like he'd lost one of the only things remaining with him which had connected him to his father but in a lot of ways this one felt..._right_.

But at the same time he was strangely afraid of it. Maybe it was the strain of not being able to spend much time with Fleur lately. True, it was only two days but it had been eating away at him.

When he'd locked eyes with her, it had filled him with a terrible sense of longing he could not explain. When he'd found that his patronous was the animagus form of his father, he'd thought of it as a way of connecting himself with his parents from beyond the grave.

Was he being paranoid? Were the images of the boggart from the third task that still haunted him at nights causing this? Or was it perhaps the images of the murdered woman in his dreams causing it? He still hadn't managed to truly come to terms with what he'd seen on night of the third task…even if it was a boggart, that coupled with Voldemort's threat was just too much for him.

Hawks, his examiner was definitely a member of the Order of the Phoenix. The clue about the 'meetings' was just too obvious. He and Remus were friends and if they had gotten to talking about him and his patronous at some point in the past, it was a given that Hawks would let him know about this. He was glad in a way, he wanted to speak to Remus about it. He wanted reassurance that his mad thoughts were not true. He _needed _to hear it.

They soon reached the Atrium where they met with Jacque who immediately navigated them through the crowd towards a free fireplace where Harry stepped into and took a handful of the floo powder which was offered to him by the grinning ministry official. Grimacing and taking off his glasses and tucking them safely inside his pocket, he dropped it at his feet and muttered the words, allowing himself to once again be taken over by the sickening sensation of floo travel for probably the hundredth time. At least it felt like it was.

"'Arry!" He heard a voice call before it started laughing. He was lying on the ground and pushed himself to a sitting position before coughing and trying to rub the soot from his face. In a burst of green flames Dominique appeared right next to him although he ended up standing leaving Harry glaring up at him. Grinning he reached down and pulled him to his feet who was still grumbling.

"'Ow did you do?" Apolline asked after she'd kissed her husband and directed him to their room for a shower.

"Not too bad." He replied before grinning and adding, "Better than I could have hoped for." When he saw her looking disapprovingly at him. He couldn't see Fleur anywhere and it was worrying him, something about his face must have shown because Apolline patted his arm making him look up at her to find her smiling gently at him.

"Fleur's in your room. We weren't expecting you to finish so early" She said softly, pushing him in the direction of the stairs. "'Ave a shower and come down soon." She called after him.

He pushed the door open to their room quietly and had a brief look at the bright room before his vision was obscured by a sheen of silver hair and felt a pair of arms he'd missed over the past two days wrap around his neck.

"I wasn't expecting you back for anozzer 'our at least." Fleur said happily as she pulled away after planting a swift kiss on his lips. "So…all done?"

"All done. I finished a long time ago but I wanted to get a look around in your father's office so I stayed till he was done." He said with a wide grin, letting her pull him to the bed where he collapsed spread eagled on it while she giggled, watching him. Relief the likes of which he'd not known before flooded into him as he watched her and was slightly aware that his mark was hot against his skin. He hadn't noticed it before, but now that he was lying down, his head felt like it was recently bashed against a wall.

"Tiring?" He clutched his head with his hands for a moment before nodding.

"You don't know half of it." He muttered. She pulled him towards her, setting his head on her lap and running her hands comfortingly through his hair. An involuntary moan escaped his lips as he felt the throbbing pain disappear.

"Non…" She said quietly. "Ze full moon iz tomorrow."

"Wha…oh..." He couldn't believe he'd forgotten about that. The time leading up to the full moon, especially these few days were not going to be some pleasant days for him. They certainly weren't…True, he hadn't taken any notice of it what with everything else on his head but maybe that was why he had been looking so frail and sickly lately.

"It'll be over tomorrow." He had gone through with it once but the memory of the pain was still fresh in his mind and knowing that he was going to face the exact same thing tomorrow didn't help. "Did you get a letter from Caroline?" He asked abruptly, desperate to shift the conversation to somewhere else.

"Oui, zey know zat you're done. Zey'll be coming later zis week." He nodded happily. He was looking forward to seeing them again as much as she was. "Well…are you going to take up after papa now?" She asked with a small smile.

"An Auror?" He asked in amusement. "I don't know…I only wanted to have a look around."

"But what do you zink of eet?" She pressed.

"Honestly? I'm not thinking much about it. I really don't know what I want to be doing after I finish school..." Just as he was finishing his eyes widened. "Merlin…I don't exactly have so much time to figure it out do I?"

"You don't." She agreed and was taken aback when he smiled disarmingly up at her.

"I have a feeling that me being a Auror doesn't agree with you does it?" He asked offhandedly. To his surprise she nodded.

"I know I 'ave no say in zis…" She began but he waved it off.

"You have every bit of say in this…I wasn't considering it seriously at all anyway. But why though?" He asked curiously. Her hands had stopped running through his hair and he already missed the feeling.

"I worry about you enough as eet is." She said simply. "Once all of zis over I want my 'usband near me for ze remainder of our days." She couldn't help grinning, the expression on his face was one of the most happiest she'd ever seen.

"Hm…there are some other things I like too."

"Which?" she before groaning. "Don't say…"

"Quidditch?" He finished for her with a grin. "It's an option." She smirked and pinched his nose.

"Someone's being egoistic."

"What? I know how good I am." He said in a perfect imitation of a snob while she laughed. "Okay okay how about training trolls?"

"Now you're just being silly." He looked like he had never been so offended in his life.

"What's wrong with that! It's a respectable job it is…teaching trolls to tie their shoelaces. Or how about I take over Snape's position in Hogwarts? That'll teach Snivellus…"

"You 'anging around in zose dark dungeons? Eet doesn't suit you."

"All I need are some black robes and a pot of grease for my hair. Oh and I'll need to cut my hair a little shorter." She wrinkled her nose.

"No?…something muggle then?" They continued on, adding more and more things to the list of what he could do which got steadily more absurd as the list went on. Only when Fleur suggested he become a model for both wizarding and muggle clothing and/or working in a strip joint did they come to a complete stop, processing what they had just heard out loud and took one look at each other before breaking out in laughter.

They fell silent after a while and he closed his eyes with a sigh. Somewhere in the last few minutes she had cupped his cheek with her hand and was running her thumb along it. The feeling was so comforting that he could have happily gone to sleep just then.

"Eet's nice." She said softly.

"Hm?" He opened his eyes lazily to see her own gleaming orbs staring back at him.

"To see you so relaxed." He chuckled.

"I don't have much to worry about anymore." When they heard Apolline's voice calling for them to come down he looked up at her in horror and rolled out of bed, bolting to the bathroom while she was lying in bed laughing at him.

He'd completely forgotten to take a shower.

* * *

The next day was not so good. He felt terribly ill. The added strain of how much he'd pushed himself over the past few days combined with the progression of his half-lycanthropy was indeed too much to take and he found it hard to remain upright for too long without feeling dizzy. Thus for the most part of the day he was confined to the bed.

Night came too soon for his liking and without warning his senses clouded over in pain and was unable to suppress the anguished yell that escaped him as he writhed, clawing at the sheets and trying desperately to stop the burning sensation. Fleur who had been called downstairs by her mother just a few minutes ago for something came running up in panic with the others in tow but they were unable to do anything to calm him and could only watch helplessly as he continued his seizure.

Once it was over he didn't feel as energized as he did the last time it happened and could only offer a small smile tiredly to Fleur who was wiping the sweat off his brow before his eyes closed again, this time sleep taking over him. The only thing he felt was someone gently taking his glasses off his face before he knew nothing more.

* * *

"Wake uuup." Fleur whined. She hardly ever used that tone but Harry was being rather difficult. This was her 9th attempt at trying to wake him and all he kept doing to mutter something incomprehensible before turning to the other side. Growling slightly she poked him, a lot harder this time at his side. Normally she would have let him sleep but it was already 2 in the afternoon! And to cap it off he'd gone to sleep yesterday at 8 in the evening. That was way too long for someone to sleep.

"Go 'way." He grumbled. She felt her lips curve upwards. He sounded _exactly _like a spoilt little boy. After about 10 more pokes she finally managed to get him to sit up and she couldn't resist giggling at the sight of him. Half his face was obscured by his hair and his visible eye was half closed.

"Good afternoon." She said brightly. He yawned widely before realizing she was there before stifling it with his fist.

"Afternoon?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Mhm." He dropped his hands looking at her disbelievingly before she jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the clock. He reached for his glasses and put them on before focusing on the clock and she watched in amusement as his expression slowly took one of horror. "Maman told me to make sure you wouldn't sleep through lunch too." Groaning loudly he slumped back in bed leaving her to drag him out and push him inside the bathroom.

Half an hour later they were tucking into a late lunch while Harry was being forced to eat by her mother. It was amusing to see how similar he was to Gabrielle at times…true, he didn't exactly whine or throw a tantrum like she does sometimes, he was a lot more adept at being subtle. But he was no match for Apolline who caught on to everything from a mile away.

"So what are you two going to do today?" Apolline asked as she gathered up the plates while they followed after her, helping her clean up (even Harry who stubbornly refused to stay seated). The house elves were out back with Alana who was helping oversee the work in the garden.

"I don't know." She sighed, leaning against the counter. "'Arry?"

"Anything." She groaned making them chuckle.

"Come on, eet seems like I'm dragging you to places zat I want to go to." She said in a mock hurt voice while Apolline went out to check on Gabrielle.

"Maybe I like getting dragged around by you." He said playfully but she knew he meant it. Lacing her hand through his she did just that as she led him outside. They didn't stop until they reached the spot near the river where she'd found him a few days ago. He immediately flopped down on the ground and after leaning against one of the trees he looked up at her expectantly. Without missing a beat she sank down onto his lap, enjoying the feeling of his hands coming around his waist.

"I missed this." He murmured softly after a few minutes of silence. It was pleasant, just watching the ripples forming on the surface. It was a pity neither she nor her family thought much about coming here. Sure, she had spent her childhood playing hide and seek here with her parents a long time ago but they hardly ever came here anymore.

"We need to come 'ere more often." Hearing a laugh she looked up to find his eyes fixed on hers, a smile playing on his lips. She had to resist the urge to kiss him just then, who was the veela?

"It's not the place." His expression softened and he looked so…vulnerable. She couldn't explain it but she could feel some of his pain, his dread. "It was you."

"'Arry." She whispered, reaching up with her hand and cupping his cheek. She could understand, she knew what he had been feeling, it had been her pain too.

They just hadn't had the time to spend with each other the past few days. He hadn't been near her and even if she'd known he was coming back in the evening it had done nothing to replace the feeling that something was missing.

Her mother warned them about this, the downside of their 'bond'. It was painful to be away from each other, especially since their bond…their marks were new.

Gently reaching up she pulled him down to her, capturing his lips in a chaste kiss. It was slow, gentle…it was something they needed, something that assured each other that right now there was no one else but them. It was a long time before they finally settled back into each other's arms.

"I don't want to go back." He muttered softly.

"I know." She smiled sadly. Sometimes she kept wondering why the fates were so cruel. After so long she'd found the person she loved, but they were going to be forced to separate again. "But eet is just ze way eet is."

"Fleur…if I find spending just over a few days away from you as hard as it is…" She silenced him by putting her finger on his lips.

"I know zat. Eet is ze same for me but eet is somezing we 'ave to face. We knew we were going to 'ave to face eet from the beginning. All we can do is enjoy ze time we 'ave wiz each ozzer for now and 'ope ze time we 'ave apart will not be too long." He nodded and she could feel his arms tighten briefly around her. She knew there was more to his fears, he was hiding something...but she didn't want to press him for it now. The time will come eventually, but it wasn't now.

As time wore on the sky steadily darkened as the clouds slowly turned grey. They didn't know how long they were there but soon a light drizzle started forcing them to start heading back inside.

"What's the surprise Daphne has for me?" He suddenly asked. She groaned, this was probably the 22nd time he'd ask this from her over the last hour. She'd been an idiot to tell him that she'd gotten a letter from Daphne yesterday and while he was a little hurt that she was refusing to write to him (Daphne was only teasing, she knew how busy he'd been via her letters), he was much more intrigued by what both she and Daphne were hiding from him.

"Stop trying to force an answer out of me!" He looked at her pleadingly. "And stop doing zat! Eet won't work every time!" He grinned sheepishly before bowing his head in defeat. It was only half true, she couldn't bear to deny him anything when he did that look but she knew it was one of the tricks he'd learnt from the Weasley twins who used it to full effect to escape hot water from the Gryffindor chasers and teachers.

"I didn't think it'd rain today." He sighed, flopping into the sofa at the living room. Apolline, Gabrielle or Alana could not be seen anywhere.

"Eet normally doesn't at summer." She said thoughtfully as she took a seat beside him and switched on the TV. They were going to be stuck at home and there wasn't much they could do.

"So what happens to the festival?" He asked, eyeing the TV as she flicked through the channels.

"Zey probably wouldn't be 'olding eet." She turned to him with a small smile, "You were looking forward to eet weren't you?" He shrugged nonchalantly but went red when she cooed, "I didn't zink you'd like dancing so much." Laughing at his expression she leaned into him letting him wrap his arms around her waist as the rain really began to come down outside.

They settled on a movie which looked at little interesting but they were hardly paying any attention to it as they talked about whatever came to mind while stealing an occasional kiss or two.

They were half asleep after a few hours when they were shaken out of their stupor by ice cold water, courtesy of a hail of water balloons that dropped unceremoniously on them making both of them yell.

"Gotcha!" Harry growled, recognizing the voice and the laughter that followed only too well as his dogfather's face came looming over the sofa with a huge grin on it.

"Why'd you do that!" Sirius opened his mouth but froze suddenly with a flash of fear as he felt something warm near him. Turning he found Fleur, her face and clothes drenched and a rather cold smirk on her face that made him flinch. One of her hands was alight with a blue flame which was crackling menacingly.

"Zey say we must fight fire wiz fire. Let's see if eet is effective non?" She asked sweetly. Harry caught sight of Remus edging away from Sirius who looked like he was cornered. He was halfheartedly going to stop her but she'd already flicked her hand and a ball of fire hit Sirius square on the face as he opened his mouth in a very girly scream.

"It's freezing!" He yelped, jumping around with his face still alight with the flames. A wide grin spread across his face as he turned to Fleur who winked at him and at the back they could see Gabrielle giggling while Remus was laughing at the sight of his friend jumping around and clawing at his face.

"Okay zat's enough. Fleur, what 'ave I told you about using your fire on ozzers?" Apolline's voice floated in as she walked in holding Gabrielle's hand. "My my Sirius…will you act your age?" She asked in amusement, looking interestedly at Sirius who was still jumping around and making wild gestures at his face which still had blue flames licking it. For some reason it seemed like he was having too much trouble locating his wand which he'd dropped on the floor somewhere.

"'E started eet." Fleur said with a smirk, leaning back against Harry who nodded vigorously.

"Oh did 'e now? You're on your own zen." Apolline nodded to Sirius whose teeth were now chattering. Fleur however sighed and flicked her hand again and the flames immediately disappeared leaving Sirius who finally located his wand to point it at his face. From the look of immense relief that appeared on his face, he must've cast a warming charm.

"I felt like my face was freezing into an ice cube. I couldn't even remove it!" He whined, now running his hands over his hair which was now dripping wet.

"Eet can't be easily dispelled." Fleur said with a mischievous grin. "Be 'appy zat I made eet cold." Harry glanced at her with a small frown, remembering how she'd told him she wasn't even in control of her powers. Making a mental note to ask her about it later he shivered slightly from the cold and hugged her closer. His clothes were still drenched and having Fleur in his arms who still hadn't moved an inch whose clothes were equally wet as his didn't help yet at the same time he didn't want to move an inch from where he was now.

"You two seem more clingy than usual." Sirius remarked, taking a seat on one of the chairs while Remus took the other with Gabrielle who was now clinging on to him and unwrapping a chocolate frog. Both of them chose to ignore this, not seeing the knowing smirks Sirius and Remus shared.

Fleur suddenly sneezed and she looked so surprised by it that Harry couldn't help the grin that was unfolding on his face not knowing that the others in the room were looking between him and Fleur in amusement who was now pinching his arm.

"Both of you will catch a cold like zis." Apolline said disapprovingly who came back just in time to see her daughter sneeze again. Without a word she flicked her wand at them and immediately he a column of warm air wash over him, the water drying off his clothes. From the sigh of relief from Fleur, she had done the same to her.

"And you." She rounded on Sirius who immediately cowered, looking like a beaten puppy. Even she was trying hard not to smile as she tried to look stern. "No more throwing water balloons at them." He nodded solemnly, a nod that Harry recognized only too well as one used by the twins time and again whenever they were berated for doing something wrong.

They were joined later by Dominique as the conditions outside worsened to a point that it was a proper thunderstorm. Neither Harry or Fleur moved an inch from their place as they chatted animatedly with Remus while Sirius was off in the corner talking to Dominique about something. Apolline was trying to calm Gabrielle down who was cuddled up on her lap; it seemed that she was more than a little afraid of thunderstorms.

"Oh…Harry I can't believe I almost forgot about this…here…" Remus produced a black book that looked more or less like a diary and handed it to him while both he and Fleur looked curiously at it.

"That book belonged to James." Sirius nodded at it, walking over and leaning on the back of Remus's chair while Dominique was being dragged into his room by Apolline who was now trying to make him get changed.

"Really?" Harry asked, intrigued now as he unstrapped the belt shackling it shut. It looked old and as soon as he'd opened it, it set both him and Fleur coughing at the strong odor that rose from it. As they rifled through it Fleur threw him a look that told him that she was thinking the exact same thing he was.

"So err…this belonged to my father?"

"Well…more or less." Sirius muttered. Harry shook his head before slowly closing it. The pages felt like it would crumble by even the gentlest of a touch.

"It's written in Latin." At his words Sirius, Remus and Fleur all looked around at him in shock.

"Wait what?" Remus asked quickly. Harry glanced at them curiously, especially at Fleur who was looking at him in surprise. He'd thought she'd been thinking that they were playing a prank on them by giving them a book written completely in Latin but it didn't seem to be the case.

"It's all written in Latin." He repeated slowly, opening it again and showing them the first few pages. The handwriting bore some resemblance to his but the style was still different.

"'Arry…zere's nozzing written." Fleur said softly. Now it was his turn to be surprised.

"What? No…look here…inanitas…I can recognize a few as well as some words used for spells but there's no way I can understand all of this."

"Pup there's nothing written on it. I can remember asking James what he was doing with a blank book back at Hogwarts which was funny to me for some reason…" He trailed off with a faraway look in his eyes. "It turned up in my trunk when I'd gone back home for summer and when I wrote to him about it he told me to just think of it as an early Christmas present."

"But I thought you…" Harry asked, looking at Fleur who was now looking worriedly at him and the book.

"Are you sure that it's written on?" Remus asked thoughtfully.

"Yes! I can't believe how you can't see it…I…" He glanced at the book again and it seemed to swim in front of his eyes just as lightning lit up the whole room making Fleur jump. He knew it was crazy, but he could have sworn he'd seen a familiar figure clad in a hooded black robe standing right behind Sirius who was still leaning on Remus's chair. The dark black emptiness in the hood staring right at him, pulling him in.

"'Arry?" Fleur asked worriedly, gently touching his cheek making him flinch.

"N-nothing. I…" His vision suddenly flickered, as if someone had turned out the lights as everything lost color before it went back to normal. "This…" He pointed at the book which was lying on the table in front of them. "You believe me don't you?" He asked pleadingly, looking at the three. Fleur made him face her.

"Of course we do."

"Harry, we don't doubt you." Sirius said softly. "I can remember James obsessing over this which was why I never could understand his fascination with a blank book."

"If it was in Latin he would have come to me or even Lily for help." Remus muttered thoughtfully. "Not that I could have helped him, or you for that matter…" He added apologetically.

"Yeah, he never said anything about it having _anything _written about it. I guess at the end he just got tired of it which was why he lost it. Now that I think about it he probably dropped it in my trunk so he could go tell his parent's he'd lost it."

"Keep it." Sirius added as an afterthought. "It probably means something and the fact that it shows anything to you could mean something."

He nodded doubtfully. "Did you say you understood some of it?" Remus asked and he nodded. "The words you know, are they written as incantations or…?"

"No, I didn't find anything I'd recognize as an incantation." Rubbing his eyes as his vision started to flicker he continued, "But then again, it's not like I'm well versed in the language. I only recognize some of it because I had to search up the literal translations of Runes…as in first to Latin and then to English." Remus and Fleur nodded in understanding while Sirius looked clueless.

"You could get eet translated zen? Maybe when you get back to school?" Fleur asked.

"Doubt you can, you'll be hard pressed to find a book or even a person who could help you with that. Latin, well…spoken Latin is a dying language." Remus answered.

"But aren't spells all written in zat language?" Fleur asked.

"Yes, spells _are_ mostly derived from Latin as 'words of power' but the written and spoken language is something else entirely. The words probably are similar but it's just not the same. Even if you match it to every spell in existence, the translation will not make any sense at the end."

"That's a fine mess." Harry muttered.

"I don't know. Perhaps Albus could help." From behind Remus he saw Sirius jerk his head in negative, his eyes narrowed. He understood, this was not something to give to the headmaster.

"Perhaps…" He trailed off, hoping Remus wouldn't question further. Thankfully he seemed to let the issue go when Dominique rejoined them.

Harry decided that he'd have a look through the book later, much later. Not any time in the near future. He had enough strangeness in his life as it was without this coming in and ruining the time he had left to spend with Fleur. He placed it inside his trunk back in his and Fleur's room and locked it.

Back downstairs the general mood went back to jovial as they soon forgot about the book. When Alana finally joined in it added to the fun when Sirius couldn't resist firing off one of his pick up lines at her causing almost everyone on the table to facepalm while Alana who recognized what he was doing, winked at him.

"What?" He asked, looking around at them. "She's the only beautiful and unattached woman available right here and now."

"Zat does not mean you 'ave permission to flirt wiz my mozzer." Apolline deadpanned while everyone else at the table were struggling to hold in their laughter.

"_He's a strapping young man." _Alana said cheekily making Apolline choke and everyone, Harry included, look at her in amazement. _"I'm only telling it like it is. Don't worry dear you won't have to call him father. Not yet anyway." _She smirked at her daughter's horrified expression.

"_I don't want to hear it!" _Apolline yelped in protest.

"What? What? What did she say?" Sirius asked eagerly. Harry groaned while Remus looked like he was trying hard to show that he was not at all associated with this man. No one bothered to answer as Fleur's shoulders were shaking in silent laughter and soon enough, Sirius gave up.

"So how were the O.W.L's?" Remus asked with a small grin. Dinner was over and they were just lounging around lazily at the table with cups of coffee. Sirius and Dominique were once again discussing something in hushed tones and Harry couldn't help but try to eavesdrop. Alana had gone to bed saying she needed an early night's sleep and Apolline had taken Gabrielle to her room as the bad weather outside still hadn't let up.

As an answer he gave a noncommittal shrug. He didn't know what to say. He knew it had been easy and that if he was true to himself. He'd probably have some of the best results than he'd ever achieved in the past few years in Hogwarts, courtesy of never really paying much attention in class or having much of an interest in anything other than Defense against the Dark Arts for that matter. But there was still a traitorous part of him that thought he'd done it all wrong, that there was no way it could have been so unchallenging.

"I'm sure you know of Hawks…the person who examined you for Defense?" Remus asked and here Harry sat up straighter.

"He's in the order isn't he?"

"Seems like you got an easy route zere." Fleur said mischievously when Remus nodded. "You know I don't mean zat…mon dieu…" She trailed off, giving his hand a squeeze when his face fell slightly.

"Said you were the best he'd ever seen." Remus said in a matter of fact tone making him blush.

"And who do you have to thank for that?" Sirius suddenly called.

"Yeah yeah." He muttered before continuing. "Did he say anything about the…my…" He couldn't finish it but Remus nodded.

"He told me about your Patronous charm. The description he gave differed a lot from what I'd come to expect."

"What?" Sirius asked. It seemed he and Dominique were finally done with their conversation. "His Patronous charm? What about it?"

"I heard something about that at work today." Dominique said suddenly. "They are saying someone produced a powerful Patronous charm during the O.W.L examinations…it's all over the ministry now but no one has a clear idea of who it was…" He finished with a grin at Harry's direction.

"Why did it change?" He asked abruptly.

"It changed?!" Sirius asked in surprise. "You mean it's not a stag anymore?"

"What does it mean?" He asked, looking fixedly at Remus.

"It doesn't mean a thing Harry." Remus said gently. "You need to understand, perhaps this was the first time you produced a true Patronous." Sirius looked baffled as did everyone else. Harry opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

Remus could see the doubt, the fear in his eyes. He was glad Harry's Patronous had changed, it was about time. He had his suspicions about what it was, if Hawk's description however unclear was anything to go by.

He looked at Fleur who was leaning at Harry's side, her hand firmly intertwined in his. Both he and Sirius agreed that she was the best thing that ever happened to him. She needed to know something about him. Something that had been hidden for some time.

* * *

_(3__rd__ year)_

"Why do I keep hearing their voices in my head?" Harry asked shakily, sitting up on the cold stone floor. This was the 3rd time he'd been reawaken by Professor Lupin.

"The Dementors feed on negative emotions." Lupin said heavily, sitting on the floor beside him. "And the best way for them to do it is to evoke them. Here..." Harry gratefully took the piece of chocolate.

"They affect you this way because those are your darkest memories. Despair, anger, pain…they thrive on it. The charm I'm trying to teach you is the exact opposite of it. Happiness, hope…the Patronous charm is a physical representation of it." Then he looked sideways at him. "Maybe you just need a better memory? A happier one?"

"I don't have many." He replied blankly. "The only one I have for now is when I found out I was going to Hogwarts…guess that's not enough."

"What about before that?" Lupin flinched at the cold gaze Harry fixed him with.

"Before? You mean at the Dursleys?" He gave a hollow laugh. "Memories about them are probably why the Dementors affect me the way they do."

"Harry…" Lupin began, he had no idea what to say. His best friend's son, he hadn't made an effort to find him at all. He'd believed Dumbledore when he said the boy was 'safe'. The look on his eyes showed something far from that and he shuddered to think about what had happened to make them look like that.

He waved his hand airily. "That's in the past."

A couple of days later Lupin was impressed. Harry had managed to produce a fine silver mist that held the Dementor at bay the last two tries and he was actually managing to stay on his feet after the encounter. This was a big step forward.

"Here, this is the last piece." He handed Harry the last of the chocolate and watched while he silently ate it. There was something off about him, his eyes still had the same dead, cold look in them, nothing that could show a trace of a happy memory.

He'd been watching him throughout both encounters, while before this, when he'd failed in his encounter against the boggart-dementor, there had been a flicker, a flame in his eyes. Something that showed he was truly fighting against it, repelling the despair with a memory of hope. The last two times, the times he'd succeeded, there was nothing.

"Harry?" Lupin couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine as he looked at the boy. This was so unlike him, yet the icy look in his eyes somehow looked like it belonged there, it showed more to him than he'd ever seen while he'd observed him in classes and with Ron and Hermione. Now he wasn't sure if the happy, carefree look in his eyes at those times was just a mask or not. That perhaps this was who he truly was.

"Professor?" He replied quietly, putting his wand inside his robes. Lupin noticed that his hands were shaking. He would need at least a week to recuperate before he could try this again.

"If you don't mind me asking, what memory did you use?" The smile he got was unnerving. It was a different smile from normal.

"I hear them." He said softly. "The voices of my parents." Lupin froze, letting the meaning sink in. "Goodnight Professor." He couldn't say anything and Harry didn't wait for an answer as he quietly walked to the door, opened it and stepped outside.

Back inside the room he sank into the chair, still staring at the door.

The cries of his parents, their voices…just hearing that had given him the will to fight. The boy had embraced his despair and welcomed it rather than try to repel it.

* * *

"Professor! Did you see it?" Lupin smiled back at the boy as he was hoisted up in the air by his teammates, the snitch clutched in his hand.

"That was quite some Patronous." He agreed. That was it, the fake smile, the fake laughter. He stepped back to let Ron and Hermione through who were fighting to get through to him as were the rest of the Gryffindors. How could all of them be so blind?

Hope based on despair was doomed to end in negativity. Perhaps he needed to speak to Dumbledore.

* * *

"You're leaving?!" He couldn't help chuckling and ruffling the boy's hair. The indignant tone, the stubbornness, it was so much like his mother's.

"Unfortunately yes. I believe Professor Snape took the escape of Sirius Black as a crushing personal defeat" He said with a wink making Harry grin. "I guess losing the Order of Merlin and having him escape right under his nose was just too much for him. He kind of let it slip at dinner yesterday about my er…affliction."

"But he can't do that! Why are you leaving because of that?! No one cares!" He could see the genuine concern in his eyes and it touched him.

"I know you don't Harry and that means a lot to me." He said softly. "I'm sure none of your friends do either. But the fact remains, a werewolf near children is a parent's living nightmare." He snapped his briefcase shut.

"Come tomorrow, even today, letters from concerned parents will be pouring in and demanding my dismissal. I'd much rather quit than be thrown out. I know Dumbledore wouldn't, but I can't exactly blame those people. I'd feel the same way if the situation was any different. Who knows what could have happened? I could have bitten or even worse, killed you that night. I'd not be able to live with myself if that happened." Silence fell between the pair as they watched the sky darken. The orange sunset was something unique in Hogwarts, when was he going to see it again?

"Thank you." He looked up. "For everything Professor, thank you."

"It was my pleasure Harry." Everything was packed and he gave the room one last look over before turning back to Harry with a smile.

"I heard that Prongs rode again that night." He felt his chest tighten at the smile he got in return.

"Yeah…he did."

"I am proud of how much you have accomplished. But I need you to promise me something." He looked up curiously. "Find something, find someone…anything that can make you truly happy. Don't dwell on the past. This is your last assignment from me." He added . "The next time I see you, you better have a lot more happy memories than this. Memories that can let Prongs ride on proudly."

He was surprised when Harry hugged him momentarily before returning it. He'd never held him before, he was a lot more fragile than he looked. Looking at the boy's face he was glad to see the mask was gone, the eyes held pain but they were warm. They were the way they were meant to be.

"I will Professor." His voice was quiet.

He couldn't help laughing at this. "It's Remus."

* * *

"A true Patronous?" Harry repeated, his expression unreadable.

"Yes. I can honestly tell you that I was astounded, still am in fact that you were able to cast a corporeal Patronous back then. The memories you used to cast it went against the basic foundation of the spell. It's part of the reason why I confided in Hawks who is more knowledgeable in this area than I am about you."

"What are you talking about Moony?" Sirius asked and he could see the other's confusion while Harry looked detached.

"A Patronous charm is mainly based on positive emotions. Harry's was…well…it was different."

"What was eet?" Fleur asked. She was staring at Harry who was keeping his head down. She caught his eye as he jerked his head slowly.

"Harry, I'm willing to bet you didn't use the same memory you always did before. You used your happiest memory." He nodded silently. "That changed everything. You need to understand that what you were doing earlier, it was not a truly happy memory. A Patronous is not a connection with those that are beyond your reach." Silence followed his words.

Harry slowly got up. "I…I need to..." He nodded, understanding what he was trying to say. He disappeared up the stairs, leaving the others staring after him. Fleur got up to go after him but he stopped her.

"Give him some time."

"What was zat about?" She asked, turning to look at him. He hesitated, was it his place to tell her? "Please." Her tone was pleading. Dominique bid them good night quietly and left, leaving them alone. They deserved to know…they were the ones that could help him.

* * *

Fleur sighed as she turned off the shower. Harry was nowhere to be found. It seemed that he had already showered before wandering off judging by the shirt that was still left hanging which he seemed to have forgotten to take out. She wanted to see him, she wanted to ease whatever his worries were but she also knew that she would have to wait until he had sorted himself out rather than push him. And that was what she was going to do.

Remus and Sirius left about half an hour ago. They did want to talk to Harry but seeing as they were going to be coming back later in the week they decided to just let him have some time to himself.

Groaning when she realized she had forgotten to take in a towel she gazed at the shirt. It was one of his favorites, dark blue and checked and she made a mental note to get him a few more of these before he headed back. Slipping it on and buttoning the first few buttons so it loosely covered her chest from view (she had always been shy about being naked anywhere in the house other than where she was now, even if she was all alone and in her room). She wasn't wearing anything underneath but the shirt was large enough was sufficient enough to reach near her knees.

Quietly unlocking the door she slipped out before immediately freezing. Harry was facing away from her, staring out of the window with his arms folded. He turned at the sound and even in the dim light she could see the blush on his cheeks and judging by the warmth in her own, she knew she wasn't far away either.

"I'll let you get changed…" He started moving towards the door which was open but she sighed and flicked her wand at it. She'd had enough. The door shut and the lock snapped in place and she added a silencing charm for good measure.

"Zere is only one person ozzer zan me zat can see me like zis and 'e is right 'ere in zis room." His cheeks were bright red but nevertheless he nodded, looking anywhere but at her although he was failing miserably at it. Smiling slightly she buttoned the rest of the shirt and walked over to the bed, sitting down at the edge and pulling him down next to her.

"I talked to Remus." She said softly. He turned to look at her, his embarrassment forgotten. "You… are a complete idiot." He smiled slightly.

"I am aren't I…" They fell silent.

"Show me." She said gently after a few minutes. He stared at her, his expression unreadable before he gave the tiniest nod of his head. Slowly getting to hid feet he took out his wand. After one final look at her he straightened up, pointed his wand at the center of the room and murmured, _"Expecto Patronum." _

A dazzling white light erupted out the end before coming to rest at the center. He stood, rooted on the spot but she could feel herself drawn to it, something about it was calling her.

The glow slowly faded and she felt her breath catch in her chest. Large, beautiful white wings appeared first and as each second passed the figure became more defined. It was like she was looking in a mirror where her reflection was pearly white and had wings and was wearing a robe which covered her modestly.

Her mirror image was gazing at Harry with a tender expression and a few seconds later it faded away, leaving the room darker than she could remember. Before it did though it fixed its eyes on her and inclined its head slightly.

"'Arry…" She whispered, turning back to him. His face had the same vulnerable look in it she'd seen on the night of the third task as he was still staring at the empty spot where it had been.

"I…it reminds me too much of what it used to be." He said quietly. "Remus was right, when I saw that it was you, I couldn't help but think that…" She placed her finger on his lips, silencing him.

"I'm not going to fade away." He turned to her and she felt her heart clench when she saw a tear forming on his eye. "I won't leave you." She said softly before kissing away the tear and slowly working her way towards his lips.

A few moments later they broke apart but she pushed him back on the bed, climbing on top of him, not caring that she was fully exposed. Straddling him she moved down to his lips again, this time kissing him far more passionately than before.

She was faintly aware of what was happening, but right now they were not going to be interrupted. She won't allow that. Gazing into his eyes she felt a thrill of anticipation as she saw the desire in his eyes. He was no longer trying to look away, his eyes were fixed on her. She had no idea when, but the shirt that had been buttoned just a few moments ago was now just hanging like a loose jacket, barely covering her breasts.

She straightened up, giving him a full view as she did. His gaze was not much different from the ones she used to loathe back then…the hunger, the lust, it was all clearly etched on them. Yet his eyes held more than that, all of his feelings were clear on them and she could see the tenderness that she'd grown accustomed to seeing in them whenever he looked at her. She couldn't help feeling his reaction under her bare skin which in turn was making her breathing come out more laboriously.

Without another word she slid the shirt off and allowed it to gently slide down her arms before throwing it to the side, leaving her as bare as the day she was born before him. It looked like he'd stopped breathing, his eyes picking out every little detail. He still hadn't moved his hands which were resting at his sides and she didn't know how much longer she could wait without finally feeling them on her. The need for physical intimacy was overpowering.

"Beautiful." He murmured quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. His green eyes were shining bright, as if with a light of its own. "No one deserves you." She smiled softly and shook her head before lowering her head to his.

"You do." She whispered. "Only you." He stroked her cheek with a finger, returning her smile before he cupped her cheek and at long last, closed the distance between their lips.

A few moments later she found herself lying on her back. His hand slowly moved from her cheek down to her chest and before he went further, his eyes locked with hers. She responded by wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him down to a heated kiss as his hand finally found its target sending a series of shocks racing through her. Through the haze of pleasure and pain at the agonizingly slow pace he was going, she was faintly aware her mark on him was glowing blue.

Stopping him before he could go lower she unbuttoned his shirt. One of it got stuck making her growl before she practically ripped it off and threw it to the side and she couldn't help giggling at the amused look on his face combined with the blush that was creeping up on it.

She had seen his body before. Back at the second task and sometimes when she'd teasingly peek at him during one of the rare moments they had when they were able to slip into her room in the Beauxbatons carriage without anyone to bother them.

She gently traced his scars with her fingers. He'd acquired more, a lot more since the last time she'd seen him. Each and every one of them a testament to his bravery, to who he was. She felt her heart clench when she ran her finger gently over the blackened scar, remembering exactly why he'd gotten it in the first place.

"I don't regret it." She turned her gaze to his face and became aware that he was stroking her cheek gently. She was going to say something but she instantly forgot when all thought was wiped free when she felt his lips on hers again, asking for entrance which she granted almost immediately.

She could feel her whole body trembling with want, his touch was driving her crazy and it seemed whatever reservations he had before were gone as they moved further downwards, coming to rest on her stomach. He was playing the game, teasing her, holding her from her needs without even knowing it and her pride was keeping her from pleading with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and concentrated on the kiss, trying to distract herself from taking his hand and forcing it where it needed to go.

All of the sudden she felt as if her body was on fire as a new wave of pleasure threatened to overwhelm her when his fingers brushed against her core. She opened her eyes to see him looking at her, looking for a sign. Breaking away she kissed his neck encouragingly and it didn't take long before she felt one of his fingers enter her. The moan that escaped her seemed to spur him onward.

He was going purely on instinct, listening to her sounds to see if he was doing it right. She felt as if her hips were moving on their own accord.

"I…'Arry I…" She couldn't seem to form the words as she felt the pressure growing, her mind filling with a multitude of colors. She thought she felt him slowing down and cried out "Non! N'arretez pas!"

She went over the edge before long, her voice echoing off the walls making both of them glad that the silencing charms were put up. She felt his fingers slide out and couldn't stop the groan of disappointment that escaped her at the loss of the feeling. She could practically feel the wetness as her thighs rubbed each other and slowly released the sheets she'd been clutching unconsciously.

His fingers were wet and she couldn't help the flush rising on her cheek before she growled and flipped them over, he looked dazed and she couldn't help the evil grin she got on her face as she leaned in and nibbled on his ear eliciting a moan from him. She reached over and quickly cast a silent spell on herself, ensuring that they could go all the way without holding back and not fear the repercussions. She needed him. Now.

"My turn." She whispered in his ear and she could practically feel him trembling under her as she slowly worked on his pants and what was underneath and soon he was as bare as she was. She could feel the mark burning on her skin and knew that she wouldn't be able to take it anymore. They had the rest of the night to work at it and she couldn't hold out any longer. From the look in his eyes she knew he was restraining himself too.

The moon seemed to brighten up the room, casting a heavenly light over her while all he could do was stare in wonder while she lowered herself on him, her eyes fluttering shut. They crossed the boundaries together, the last obstacle that was remaining between them was broken as they finally became as close as they possibly could physically. The night was lost in a sea of passion, lust, love and tenderness that had been building up over a year and it was everything and more than either of them could have hoped for as they finally felt complete.

* * *

By the time the first sign of light came in, the young couple was fast asleep. Her head resting on his chest along with a leg draped over him while he had his arm wrapped around her. The only thing protecting them from the crisp morning air being the flimsy bed covers.

The first thing Harry noticed when he woke up was the smell, a smell so much like honey, flowers and something else he couldn't put his finger on. It was making him strangely light headed.

He couldn't help the smile that lit up his face when he saw her silvery white hair strewn around his chest. Their clothes, now that he could see properly in the morning light, were strewn around the room. It was then that he realized that she was completely naked under the covers as well as he.

The things she did to him, hell…the things _he _did to her…he didn't know where he'd picked them up. It was purely by instinct. He only knew as much about it as the next normal, curious teenager. Hearing her cry out his name, hearing her beautiful, almost musical moans was certainly something he could get addicted to…which he already was.

He hated to see her in pain, he could still remember seeing the pain in her eyes the first time they joined together. It had been awkward since he was doing his best to diminish her pain and she trying to get used to the sensation. It was the first time for both of them after all. Try as he might, it finished too fast for either of their liking. But the times after that were something else entirely. He could still hear her beautiful moans and if he was willing to admit it, was itching to hear them again and make her scream his name once more.

He felt her stir against him and stiffened. How would she react? His fears were unfounded when he felt a soft pair of lips on his own.

"Do you know what day eet is?" She murmured softly as she drew away, a small smile on her face. He smiled back, cupping her face as she leaned into his hand. Her hand under the covers was rubbing small circles on his chest.

"Thursday?" She sighed before moving to kiss him again.

"Bon anniversaire mon amour." She whispered as she drew away before giggling at his expression. It was his birthday?! Grabbing his glasses his pushed them onto his face before gazing at the calendar. Sure enough, today was the 31st of July. "'Ow can you forget your own birthday?" She asked in amusement.

"Think you might have something to do with that." He replied with a grin before it faltered making her look at him in concern.

"'Arry?"

"Last night…do you have any…"

"Non…you 'ave no idea 'ow long I waited for zat." She said softly, leaning her head against his.

"You have no idea about me then." He muttered making them both laugh.

"Hmm…I could get used to eet." He caught sight of something and gently traced the spot on her neck where he mark is. The blue wing was enclosed in a circle now and looking down he noticed that his was the same. "Zat shows ze bond is complete." She said absentmindedly and he couldn't help but smile at it. He couldn't explain it, but he felt more connected than ever to her. He literally felt like she was his other half now.

The sunlight was streaming into the room now and it was casting a beautiful golden glow on her. She noticed him looking and slid the covers off with a teasing smile. He couldn't help but roam his eyes over her, from her face all the way down to her long, willowy legs. She was the epitome of beauty and again he wondered how on Earth he'd managed to get this Goddess to fall for him.

She lay at the side, beckoning him invitingly. He felt his breath hitch but he knew what she wanted. The whole last night, after their first time she'd just let herself go, bringing out everything that was in her heritage.

Now though she wanted him, she wanted him to take her.

He slowly climbed over her, covering her body with his as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I need you, more than you can imagine." Looking back into her eyes which were the darkest blue he'd ever seen, he heard her whisper only two words before she captured his lips in a slow, passionate kiss.

"_Show me."_

* * *

Harry groaned, never had he felt so tired and yet so elated at the same time. Even a simple act of taking a shower together had ended up as something more.

"Come on you." He looked up and couldn't help but smile at the sight. She was wearing a white blouse along with blue jeans making her look angelic when just over an hour ago that innocence had been nonexistent. "Wipe zat silly grin off your face." She scolded but he could see her struggling to hide her own.

"Do we have to go down?" He asked, stretching before getting up with a sigh. She grinned mischievously before pushing him back down to the bed and climbing on top of him.

"We can stay 'ere and keep at eet if zat's what you want 'Arry." She murmured, bringing her lips to his so they were whispering against his. "But…I need time to recover. I don't zink I can walk properly." She finished by nibbling his lip before getting off him. The meaning of her words sunk in and immediately he looked apologetic making her laugh at him.

Downstairs he had a surprise waiting for him when Apolline and Gabrielle starting singing 'Happy Birthday' joined in by Fleur. But what caused his eyes to widen was when he caught sight of the other three figures along with three new voices which were added.

Aurélie, Caroline and Amy were all there. Aurélie had cut her hair a little shorter and tied it back in a ponytail, Caroline was still as he'd remembered, the mischievous grin still in place. Amy was sporting a tan and looking more brown than he'd remembered.

Fleur was grinning at the surprised look in his face as she moved aside letting the three envelop him in a three way hug knocking the breath out of him.

"What 'ave you got to say for yourself? Seeing as you were making no effort to come to us, we 'ad to come to you." Aurélie said after releasing him and kissing his cheek and moving to hug Fleur. "And don't you keep grinning like zat Fleur, we're talking about you too. Both of you forgot about us."

"I trust it will not happen again?" Caroline asked innocently, poking his chest with her finger, her eyes glinting making him and Fleur share a look. They had thought Tonks was more scary, now they were being forced to reconsider. Both of them shook their heads simultaneously making her nod approvingly while Apolline chuckled and made them all sit down.

"What in ze world 'ave you done to 'im Fleur?" Amy asked, staring at him as if it were her first time seeing him.

"Eet wasn't even zat long since we last saw you." Aurélie muttered, unable to take her eyes off him. Caroline on the other hand noticed something which was making her grin like a maniac as she leaned closer to Aurélie and whispered something in her ear making her eyes widen. She muttered something under her breath to Amy too and all of the sudden he and Fleur felt like they were being X-rayed by the three witches.

"Umm…Harry? Did you notice anything on your neck? And why does Fleur have something similar?" Caroline asked nonchalantly. He looked at Fleur wondering if they were talking about the marks but frowned when he saw that Fleur's was hidden from view. She was looking back at him with a similar expression but he could see her eyes widen and a small blush cover her cheeks just as he saw what they were talking about.

There were dark, almost purple bruises plainly visible on both their necks and now that he'd seen it, he could vividly remember how and where it had come from.

"I err…"

"Oh we know what those are." Caroline said with an evil grin. "What we need to know is when and where."

"Plus Fleur was walking funny." Amy added making the three of them burst out laughing while the couple blushed.

"Fleur was walking funny?" Apolline's voice came in making the laughter die out instantly. "What?" She asked, looking at the panicked faces before smirking, _"Don't forget that you're not the only veela in the house flower." _She said softly, leaning in between the two. _"Happy Birthday" _She added before kissing Harry's cheek who had frozen up when she'd started speaking. _"Sirius and Remus will be joining us later in the evening." _

"_Thank you, but you didn't have to go into so much tro-" _He began, managing to pull himself back, realizing that he wasn't going to be on the receiving end of a curse but she shushed him.

"_You have no say this time." _She said playfully, winking at Fleur who was watching them with a small smile. _"Gabrielle, don't be shy now…" _She stepped back revealing Gabrielle who was hiding behind her. Her silver hair was standing out, shining brilliantly against her flaming red face as she looked at him pleadingly.

Understanding what she wanted he got up and quickly lifted her up into his arms, choosing to ignore the cooing from the females behind him and walked with her out of earshot of the others before settling on the couch in the living room with her on his lap.

She handed him a card as soon as she saw they were alone. It looked like it was something she'd made herself judging by the small writing he recognized as hers.

"_Thank you." _He said softly, making her smile brilliantly at him. He'd never really looked before, but she and Fleur were almost like twins. _"What's that you got there?" _He asked with a mock frown. She still had something clenched tightly in her fist which she was still refusing to show him. Pouting at him she hid her fist from view._ "You won't show me?" _He asked mournfully, although with the way she was giggling he knew she could see he was faking it.

"_Close your eyes." _He was taken aback but obliged and felt her grab his right hand. He could feel her tying something onto it and wasn't exactly getting the knots right judging by the amount of time she was taking. When she'd finally finished, or done as much as she could he opened his eyes when he felt her finally let go of him.

It was a bracelet, wooden with intricate carvings around it. She was looking at him rather worriedly but he smiled and took his wand out, tapping it so that the knots which were hanging loosely redid themselves so it was latched on more firmly.

She nodded approvingly. _"Don't take this off?" _She asked in a small voice, holding out her pinky finger making him smile warmly at her. How could anyone say no to her? He could see exactly how she had both Sirius and Remus tamed and ready to meet her needs whenever she wanted. Indeed, Apolline was already complaining about how whenever those two kept spoiling her whenever they dropped by.

"_Promise." _He sealed the deal by wrapping his finger around hers and grinning when she pecked his cheek before jumping off his lap and running away, trying not to show too much of her beet red face.

"What did she give you? She wouldn't even show me when I asked 'er." Fleur asked when he dropped back into his seat next to her. In answer he held up his hand while the others looked on in interest. "Sometimes I wonder if she likes you more zan me."

The rest of the day remained one of his, if not the best birthday to date. It was just like old times as the girls all shared their summers while in turn interrogating him and Fleur about theirs. Caroline shamelessly kept asking Fleur what it was like and no one needed clarification on what _it _was from the way the veela kept blushing.

Try as they might, none of them could get much out of him or her and they ended up being frustrated with the lack of information and from the fact that none of them could embarrass the couple like they used to by commenting on their closeness. Having Fleur close to him had become something of a second nature and she never left his side either. No amount of 'awws' could separate them.

They already knew that he could understand French which was given away when he'd spoken to Apolline, foiling his and Fleur's plan to surprise them. It still was strange the way he kept up with them and they wouldn't realize they were speaking in French until someone pointed it out. They still teased him about the accent but they all agreed that it was 'cute' which made him clam up and refuse to speak.

Amy had been in Bulgaria with her new boyfriend and she had gotten to spend some time with his friends including Krum and coincidentally, the Krastev sisters. The younger one who he had met during the O.W.L's. Fleur's scowl was not gone unnoticed by any of them when she revealed the older Krastev's crush on him and the questions they had about whether or not they were still together.

Caroline and Aurélie had been spending most of the summer together at Aurélie's place. Caroline's parents had decided to use the summer to visit her sister, one who Caroline had incidentally failed to mention over the whole time he'd known her. It wasn't exactly surprising though, the scathing tone she used to describe her showed that there was some animosity between them added to the fact that she'd chosen to stay behind.

"So I guess you're all going to spend the rest of the summer here?" He asked.

"Do I detect some resentment zere?" Aurélie asked with a smirk. "Oh don't worry 'Arry. We'll stay out of your way when the two of you need privacy."

"Oh?" Fleur asked, leaning her head against his shoulder. "As long as you three understand zat and leave us alone, we 'ave no problems wiz zat."

The looks of shock on their faces had her and Harry laughing for a good while until Caroline finally yelped, _"What have you two done to each other?!"_

* * *

**AN: Alright so…yes, I managed to write a suggestive scene that I…and I repeat, **_**I **_**thought was good. No idea what you guys will think about it but…I'd like to know how it was. Should I never, ever do anything like this again and leave it to the pros? (Yeah, there are people in this site who actually write lemons that are so much more than the usual stuff we gotta put up with. Most I've seen are in the Inheritance cycle section.) **

**I really don't think I'd go as far as to call that part a 'lemon'. A good friend of mine persuaded me to kind of…nudge everyone along the general direction without just cutting it off abruptly. Well…my friend thought I did a great job. But then again, I think she likes me too much. (Yep, I am expecting a slap in a couple of weeks. But it hurts **_**so **_**good.) **

**Before some of you guys start complaining that the events in PoA never happened like that, YES I know it never happened like that. YES I changed it to fit my story. No you may not express your disapproval. This is AU, past events may be treated as canon unless I make side notes such as in this chapter and a long time ago when I introduced Daphne into this story. **

**Think this should be good news to the peeps that like this story, I'm going to start on the next chapter as soon as…in another couple of hours. My Christmas is shaping up to be the ****worst**** ever. Almost all the people I know have families out of town who they're going to spend Christmas with leaving poor old me to spend the next few days with a drink or two and playing Halo. Not as fun as people want you to believe. Better to just devote that time to distracting myself with this. Again, I might just choose to watch movie after movie in which case the eta of the next chapter will rise. **

**Either way, Merry Christmas and, in case I don't get to update before then, a Happy New Year! **

**Ps- The new summary is much better than the old one right? Thanks go out to…the same friend who will kill me in a couple of weeks. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks go out for everyone who reviewed, faved, followed and took their time to read! Took a rather long time, still…this is a bit longer than my usual so…**

**Enjoy.**

**CHAPTER 20**

Never before had Harry so thoroughly enjoyed a birthday as he did today. He wasn't cooped up in the tiny room in Privet Drive, talking with Hedwig and reading letters from his friends. He was _with _friends, family…all of who were determined to give him a proper celebration.

The presents he got from them had him stammering his thanks every few minutes much to their amusement. Amy had gotten him a set of Quidditch gauntlets, property of the Bulgarian National team.

"Viktor 'elped me acquire zem." She said with a smile at his unspoken question as he looked at her incredulously.

Caroline had gotten him a wallet which was charmed to never open for anyone but the owner. If anyone else tried, it would have rather interesting consequences…or so she said but knowing her and the loving way she said it sent chills down his spine and decided immediately to make sure to not let it come in contact with anyone other than him.

Aurélie had gotten him the strangest gift of all; a brand new muggle mp3 player. What made it strange was that according to Aurélie, it didn't suffer the drawback of not being able to work around a magically charged atmosphere which was the reason why the wizarding world hardly associated with anything to do with electricity. To top it off it used magic as a power supply.

"You're one of the first few of us to be using one of zese too!" She said happily. "Eet's not going to be revealed to ze wizarding world for some time but papa agreed to let us 'ave ze prototypes. You can even tune into wizarding and muggle radio too."

It had been 'tweaked', courtesy of Aurélie's father who was experimenting with a new business idea of mixing muggle technology with magic. Her family owned several large establishments in magical gadgets which is a lot similar to 'Dervish and Banges' in Hogsmeade and if this kicked off as they hoped it would, it was certainly going to make a lot of changes in the wizarding community as a whole.

"Thought you could use something to distract yourself at Hogwarts." Caroline said with a smirk.

"Don't let anyone know where you got eet from." Aurélie added warningly. "Papa isn't planning on releasing eet anytime soon."

"I won't." He assured her, eyeing it with interest.

Fleur had gotten him a new set of books on obscure magic. It was amusing watching his eyes light up as he rifled through the pages, looking as if he'd just been given several new toys to play with.

"I don't want to 'ear anyzing about you collapsing in 'Ogwarts again zough." She warned.

"Yes ma'am." She grinned before handing him another book which she had been hiding behind her back. It looked more or less like a diary. "Zis is a way for us to keep in touch." She explained, picking up another one that was exactly like his. "Zis is mine, we can write to each ozzer and whatever you write will immediately appear on mine and what I write on yours."

He gazed at it for a few moments before pulling her into a hug, lifting her off her feet. "I guess you like eet?" She asked playfully after he'd kissed her cheek in thanks. She only got an exasperated look in response.

"Think you saved a lot of owls from the torture of carrying letters from Hogwarts to France and back on a daily basis." Caroline observed.

* * *

Towards the afternoon Sirius and Remus dropped in along with Dominique.

"Happy Birthday!" Sirius said with a grin, pulling him into a hug before stepping aside and letting Remus and Dominique give their wishes too. "And here, Fred and George wanted me to give this to you and along with their wishes."

"Thanks, hey Sirius mind transforming for me?"

"Sure…why?" He asked curiously. As an answer he discreetly pointed towards the living room where Aurélie and the others were sitting with Fleur. The evil grin he got on his face mirroring his godson's made the two of them look startlingly identical.

"Why do I get the feeling those poor girls are going to faint…" Remus muttered, shaking his head.

"Oh lighten up." Dominique said brightly. "Go for it." This made all three of them look at him in surprise. "I like to pull a prank every now and then." He added a little defensively.

"Am I the only adult here?" Remus asked, looking in amusement at the three. "Harry I can understand…even Sirius…but you?"

"Not all of us have forgotten how to have fun Moony." Sirius deadpanned. "Besides, I want to hear some screaming." Remus shook his head muttering something that sounded along the lines of 'mentally disturbed'. With that he transformed into the great black dog but before they could go the back door opened and Apolline stepped through it making them all freeze.

"I don't have anything to do with it." Remus said hurriedly, stepping away from the group as she eyed them, Sirius in particular who gave a small whine, to Harry and finally coming to rest at Dominique. She seemed to be putting two and two together as her lips curved upwards in a grin as she eyed the girls who were still unaware about the new arrivals.

"I want to see zis too, wait for me." She said before disappearing and Sirius turned back human, staring after her with his mouth open. His expression mirrored on all of the men's faces.

"Think I'm falling in love with her all over again." Dominique sighed dreamily.

"Seconded." Harry banged his head lightly against the wall. Of course it was something his godfather would say.

"Stop looking at my wife so lecherously. Go get your own…a man even…whatever works for you." Remus couldn't hold himself as at that precise moment his eyes met Harry's and the two burst out laughing while Sirius scowled at them.

As soon as Apolline joined them Sirius was back in his Animagus form and they trooped into the living room where the girls squealed in excitement and moving to pet Sirius who was sitting on the floor, enjoying being fawned over, his tail wagging vigorously. Gabrielle who was now in Remus's arms was giggling. She knew that the dog was none other than her uncle Sirius.

Fleur leaned against him, slipping her hand in his before whispering in his ear, _"You're all so cruel." _He could only grin in response as they looked on eagerly; waiting for the inevitable while the unsuspecting girls were still petting their cuddly black dog.

Without warning in place of the dog was now a man sitting cross legged on the floor with a huge grin on his face as he was still getting petted. The girls didn't notice immediately and Harry had to work hard to hold in his laughter as he saw Aurélie's eyes widen in astonishment.

3…2…1

From the outside, one could have sworn the Delacour household shook from the force of the screams.

Sirius was doubled over, laughing fit to burst. Amy looked like she'd been shocked still, Caroline and Aurélie's knees had given away as they were on the floor, their faces as white as a ghost's and were holding onto each other for dear life.

It took some time for them to calm down and come to terms with the fact that the dog was in fact an Animagus by the name of Sirius Black, a muggle criminal who at the same time was Harry's godfather.

"Just so you know, the method of introduction was suggested by none other than…" He paused, looking at Harry who looked horrified and trying his best pleading look on him. With a bright smile he continued. "…My own godson." Aurélie, Amy and Caroline's smiles became fixed as they eyed him, a dangerous glint in their eyes and Fleur slowly edged away from him. Sirius had a look of profound relief on his face although he did look slightly guilty.

"_Is that true?"_ Caroline asked, making him stand up and edge behind the sofa.

"Er…" She took another step towards him and it was then that his courage failed him as he fled up the stairs with the three of them hot on his heels while the others watched in amusement.

"Poor boy." Apolline said softly as they heard the girls screaming in French upstairs.

"How long do you think he'll…" Sirius was cut off when a distinct male voice yelled in pain.

"Zey got 'im." Fleur confirmed, wincing slightly at his voice.

"Occupational hazard." Sirius added sagely.

10 minutes later they came back downstairs. Harry looked like he'd been molested; His hair band nowhere to be seen, glasses askew, shirt missing a few buttons and a dazed look on his face to top it off. If anyone didn't know better, they'd have come to the conclusion that he was used by the three girls. Repeatedly.

"Oh…what did zey do to you." Fleur cooed, pulling him into her arms. He buried his head in her chest without a word, making her blush slightly as they were in full view of the others. _"No really, what did you do to him?"_ She asked, narrowing her eyes and looking up at the three girls who looked sheepish.

"_Let him catch his breath." _Apolline said gently, seeing the look on her daughter's face. _"Come on you three, I'll show you your rooms. Leave them alone…" _She added, tugging Dominique up too and beckoning Sirius, Remus and Gabrielle. "That goes for all of you too. Come on. Go get ready"She added the last part sternly as Sirius was watching the two, Harry in particular who still had his head buried in Fleur's arms while she was running her hand through his hair with absolutely no concern for any of them.

"Those two…" Sirius murmured quietly, coming up beside Apolline who was watching Harry and Fleur from behind the counter in the kitchen. The 3 girls had started unpacking, helped by Gabrielle. "Are they…?" She nodded at his unasked question as Remus and Dominique joined them.

"You remember 'ow eet was for us when we got togezzer?" She asked, looking up at Dominique. He wrapped an arm around her before nodding.

"Best times of my life." His face softened as he looked at the two. "They couldn't have picked a worse time though, with him returning to Hogwarts in a matter of weeks."

"But…" Sirius began before being cut off by Apolline.

"She knows. Both of zem know, I already spoke to zem about eet. Eet's somezing zey will 'ave to get through."

"I've got our people working on his case." Dominique cut in before Sirius could speak again. "And yes it seems Fleur's records have changed to reflect her new status." He grinned at Apolline's pleased smile while Sirius and Remus were looking between the two in confusion. "Veela magic takes priority after all." Sirius smirked, realizing what he was saying although Remus still looked confused. Now he could understand what Fleur had been talking about. "Hopefully we can put your plan into motion sooner than we expected."

Soon they were all gathered around the dining room while Apolline brought in his birthday cake; large and covered with chocolate frosting which had everyone eyeing it hungrily. Even Alana had gotten back in time although she refused to reveal where she had been the last few days.

Harry looked like he was going to spew steam out of his ears at the rate he was blushing as they started singing 'Happy Birthday'.

"Zis is from us." Apolline beamed, handing him a small box with Dominique who was standing next to her.

"It's a bit early to give you something like this, but…" Dominique began as he opened the box and gasped as he pulled out a brand new silver watch. This was not like the muggle counterpart he always wore. Etched with Roman numerals around the edges its hands ended in a crescent shaped moon and a sun respectively.

"…It's normally given when a wizard comes of age, but seeing as you're already skipping years it seemed appropriate." Dominique finished with a grin, waving away his stammered thanks while Apolline fondly ruffled his hair.

Remus had gotten him a set of books which had him grinning a rather predatory grin as he saw the titles. At least his time in Hogwarts was not going to go to waste.

Sirius coughed as he stepped up next, something hidden behind his back.

"Don't ask about the price." With that he held out a long, thin package that caused Harry's jaw to drop as he took hold of it. The familiar weight ringing the warning bells in his mind.

"Go on." His hands were trembling as he unwrapped it to find a sleek, inky black broom. Almost identical to his Firebolt other than the color and the 'Firebolt 1000' emblazoned on its handle in gold.

"This far outstrips its predecessor. It's recommended that a special training program be undertaken in order to get accustomed to the speeds but I'm sure you have it in you."

"Sirius…my Firebolt...I already have one of the best brooms in the world. Why would you…"

"You HAD one of the best brooms in the world. You don't think I'd let you use an outdated piece of log would you?" He chuckled at the scandalized look on his godson's face. "I did trade it in though. Your old broom I mean. You didn't notice it was missing?"

"No I…"

"I sent it to 'im." Fleur spoke up, grinning at his expression. "Last week when…"

"…When you said you wanted to use Hedwig for something." He finished for her. He shook his head, grinning ruefully. "I should have known when you wouldn't let me open my trunk for anything." She pouted in response.

"Think of it as an upgrade. Besides, we all know how much you hate portkeys and floo powder." Sirius said happily.

"Adopt me as your goddaughter?" Caroline asked innocently, sidling up beside Sirius who blinked before grinning.

"No, but if you have something else in mind…" He finished suggestively with a wink.

"Hm…maybe I do. How about it?" She purred, trailing her fingers along his arm making him squeak and jump away from her with an expression of pure horror. Everyone were staring between Sirius and Caroline, trying to figure out if what happened really did. The Marauder, the known womanizer falling victim to a 17 year old girl's flirting? It didn't hold for too long as Apolline gave in first, breaking out in full blown laughter before the others followed.

"It's been a while since I saw anyone other than Lily do that to you." Remus choked out after finally calming himself down.

"Oh you shouldn't play so close to the fire..." Caroline whispered leaning against Sirius who looked scared out of his wits. "…If you aren't willing to get burnt." She finished, flashing him a bright smile before moving next to Harry and slipping her arms around his waist.

"I expected more from older men…pity." Both Dominique and Remus looked like Christmas had come early while Apolline was still trying to get her laughter under control much to the amusement of the others although Fleur looked slightly disgruntled. Caroline who noticed this only tightened her hold on him and winked at her while Harry smiled timidly, gazing at Fleur and trying to wriggle out from the redhead's grasp.

Before long they were seated for dinner, two more tables added to accommodate everyone. It was an enjoyable affair and after the plates were cleared, it was evident that no one was going to be able to stand up for a while.

The girls were constantly badgering him and Fleur about their summer and they were already under pressure to take them to the festival in town. Harry kept his face hidden in Fleur's shoulder for the most part as she explained in loving detail about his new found liking in dancing. Furthermore he was bullied into promising each and every one of them a dance, including Apolline the next time they all went out.

"I'm supposed to be the one asking for things." He grumbled, earning pitying looks from Remus and Dominique.

"Don't know why you're complaining." Sirius moaned.

"Oh don't worry, we'll take our turns with you too." Aurélie said with a grin making his face light up as he turned to Remus.

"Can't we…"

"No. We have to get our things done. You can dance with them later." Remus deadpanned, the corners of his lips twitching. "I said no Sirius." He added sternly when he continued to look at him beseechingly.

"Aww, don't worry we'll be waiting for you next time." Caroline said, her eyes twinkling. "He's a jealous one isn't he?" She nodded towards Remus who choked halfway between his drink.

Harry chuckled as he watched Sirius roaring in laughter and high fiving Caroline while Remus was being thumped on the back by Dominique. He was happy at how fast they had all warmed to them. He also appreciated that none of the girls were asking any questions about Sirius. Whether they already knew about him from Fleur or whether they were just choosing not to address it, he didn't know but he was grateful all the same.

"How are things back at number 12?" He asked, stretching lazily. It had been about an hour and Apolline and Alana had gone to put Gabrielle to bed and had ducked outside to talk in the garden while Fleur and the others were talking about what they were going to do once summer was over. Remus and Dominique were talking about something which was apparently too boring for Sirius.

"Unbearable." He grumbled. "Oh…they all got their Hogwarts letters today. That dam woman has been harping about her son all day."

"Why?"

"They got their prefect badges. Ron and Hermione I mean." He added at his questioning look. "Been a right pain. They're making such a big deal about it. Molly even asked me…" Here he got a scowl on his face. "If she could get a loan from me so she could get her ickle prefect a new broom." Harry chuckled.

"Ickle prefect?" Sirius looked confused before grinning.

"The twins do grow on you after a while. But honestly, I don't understand that woman's guts. First she's been at our throats and now she comes around asking for a _loan_ like nothing ever happened." He snorted derisively. "I have no idea how you stuck with those two. Hermione looked like she'd been given the order of Merlin and Ron has already taken to wearing the badge over his normal clothes."

Harry felt a twinge of disappointment at the mention of Hermione's name but quelled it immediately. He had received nothing, not even a simple letter from her. He wasn't an attention seeker…nor did he want every single person that knew him to remember his birthday but she is...or at least had been a friend and for the past few years she had always written to him for his birthday. From Ron, he didn't expect much. But Hermione, it looked like she had her priorities straight and truthfully, he wasn't too surprised.

This in turn irked him; he had no idea how she was going to react when she finds out he'd done his O.W.L's. He'd known long since that it would be a blow against her pride. Even though she always tried to hide it behind a veil of modesty, it wasn't hard for anyone to see she loved being at the top each year.

Sighing he leaned back against the chair and winced when he felt Fleur pinch his hand which was intertwined in hers. She always seemed to know when something was bothering him. He shook his head at her questioning look and squeezed her hand gently. Even though she'd been talking to Aurélie and the others he knew she'd been listening in on their conversation. It wasn't only them as it turned out.

"I'm surprised zey didn't make you a prefect." Aurélie said thoughtfully, eyeing him like this was the first time she was seeing him.

"Yeah, I mean…you won the Triwizard tournament _and _you've done your O.W.L's already." Caroline added. "If you were in Beauxbatons you'd already be declared Head Boy." Both Sirius and Harry's faces took on identical looks of disgust.

"Me? Prefect?" He asked incredulously. "You two act like you don't know me. I've managed to break more rules than anyone had in their lifetime at Hogwarts already. Besides, I'd much rather go to sleep earlier than spend my nights in the corridors." Fleur giggled before leaning towards him.

"_My naughty little boy." _She whispered, her lips just brushing against his ear making his eyes close involuntarily as shivers of delight ran down his spine.

"Don't break him." Caroline said with a smirk before her jaw dropped as she watched Harry kiss Fleur's cheek making her eyes widen and say something which made the Veela blush furiously but was too quiet for anyone else to hear. Her astonishment was mirrored on everyone else who had caught the exchange; Sirius looked torn between a mixture of pride and wistfulness while the others had only one thought in their minds; he definitely was not the same person they'd known last year. Neither was Fleur.

Soon it was time for Sirius and Remus to leave. They dropped a bombshell before disappearing through the floo however when they informed him that according to Dumbledore, his results should be arriving within the next 3 or 4 days. Harry looked like he was going to faint just by being reminded about it.

After bidding the girls goodnight they returned to their room although not without a generous amount of teasing from them when they learnt about their sleeping arrangements. The power had gone out for some reason and seeing as the Delacour household was not much different from a muggle household, they didn't have lighting either. The town, even the clock tower outside had no lights on it.

He shivered slightly, drawing his arms more tightly around him. He was sitting up in bed, his knees drawn up to his chest as he watched the dark clouds gathering outside, hiding the moon from view. They had candles provided by the house elves but Fleur had taken them inside with her while she had a shower.

It normally never bothered him. He wasn't afraid of the dark. But there was just something about this day, something he'd kept locked away that always resurfaced. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how many times he'd suppress it, these memories always came up on this single day, repeating every single year.

Getting up he walked towards the window, letting the bit of moonlight that shone through the clouds bathe him, illuminating him as he stared down at his arms. Exactly 5 years ago, his body would have been covered with scars, bloodied and bruised. His arms would have been broken.

It was how he had been after all for the better part of his 10th Birthday.

He had been in his cupboard under the stairs, the night of the 30th, watching as the minutes slowly ticked by according to the wristwatch he'd salvaged from the room where Dudley's broken toys were stored. It had been only 6 minutes before he'd turned 10 when the door was wrenched open and standing outside was his uncle.

He knew how his uncle got on his birthdays, especially after a few drinks. He wasn't a stranger to being beaten. He'd accumulated a lot of injuries due to his uncle's actions over his lifetime. It was his fear that they would do something horrifying to him that kept him from talking to anyone about what happened to him inside the Dursley household. Something which his uncle made painfully sure of; when asked he, with the help of his 'family' always managed to convince anyone bothered enough to be curious that they were injuries he'd sustained while playing.

His aunt knew full well what his uncle did to him. She never took part in it, yet she never did anything to stop it. However she always did step in whenever things seemed like it was getting a bit too out of control. This time however, she was nowhere to be seen and for the first time of his life since he'd realized he wasn't wanted in this house, he wanted her near him.

He didn't know what he'd done. He didn't know why. But he was seized by his uncle who proceeded to beat him again and again, all the while growling about how he was continuously being a hindrance to the family. The stench of alcohol was thick on him and it was one he could still remember vividly, even today to the point that it made him sick in the stomach. His uncle seemed to be too far gone to stop as he felt his already fragile bones beginning to crack; his ribs giving way to the blows.

He could only remember himself slowly slipping to unconsciousness before it felt like something in him snapped, filling him with a terrible urge to do something, anything to protect himself. He had no idea what he did, or how he did it, but Vernon Dursley was blasted back away from him in a flash of yellow, hitting the wall opposite before slumping to the floor unconscious.

The next day his aunt had found her husband asleep on the floor in front of his cupboard. When shaken awake he couldn't seem to remember anything about last night and was unable to explain about the lump at the back of his head. They came to the official conclusion that a burglar had broken in and ambushed him while he was having a drink and they searched the house twice over to find if anything was stolen.

Harry stayed in his cupboard, shaking in fright and too scared to step outside for fear of what his uncle would do to him. While the pain was still there, he'd watched with morbid interest as his scars closed, the darkened purple skin turn back normal and the pain in his ribs slowly recede over time.

He stayed inside for two whole days, not daring to step outside before his aunt finally opened the cupboard and dragged him out, yelling at him for getting blood on the sheets. When he'd finally seen his uncle face to face, the man had looked uncertain, almost afraid of him. Since that day he'd never laid a hand on Harry although his viciousness only increased as best it could without physical abuse.

Since then he'd never gotten harmed. It was like the incident had been wiped out of everyone's minds but had changed everyone at the same time. Even Dudley who constantly ganged up on him at school didn't lay a hand on him anymore.

He never said anything about this to anyone. Fleur, Sirius or Remus…none of them knew what had really happened with the Dursleys. They only knew about the neglect he suffered at their hands, how he'd been starved and basically been the house elf to them.

He didn't want anyone's pity, the extent they knew was because of his bitterness towards his so called 'family'. He didn't want anyone to see them, or even think about them as gentle, kind human beings. There was also the part of him which he hated that took comfort in knowing that some people knew about it, even though it was the watered down version.

He flinched when he felt a pair of arms slide around his waist before a smile flickered across his face. He hadn't even heard her stepping out of the shower.

Those hands, their touch, it was imprinted to the back of his mind. Glancing over his shoulder his eyes met Fleur's bright blue ones. She had a soft smile on her face although her eyes told a different story.

She didn't say anything, cuddling at his side as he put his arm around her and together they gazed at the sky where the stars were slowly becoming visible. The moon was shyly becoming more and more visible as the time ticked by, their room lighting up in the moonlight causing her silvery white hair glow faintly.

She never looked more beautiful. Every time he thought she couldn't possibly be more perfect he was proven wrong. With a start he realized, perhaps for the first time that she was exactly the same height as him. He could distinctly remember that she had been taller than him, just by a little bit.

Even with that he couldn't look away from her eyes, they carried a certain amount of sadness behind them and it was worrying him. He didn't know how best to approach it so he stayed silent, choosing instead to enjoy the feeling of having her near him.

"'Arry?" Her voice was quiet and there was something about it that told him something was wrong. Yet the gentle tone she always used when saying his name was still there. "You know you can never 'ide zings from me."

He felt his heart clench. At that moment he knew what she was talking about. He knew it was crazy, but he could almost feel her in him, her heart beating alongside his. At that moment he knew what he had kept hidden for so long had been found out by her.

"Did you feel zat?" She asked softly to which he nodded. She tugged him back to bed with her, making him lie down and resting her head on his chest.

"Why didn't you say anyzing. Why didn't you tell anyone about zem?" She asked carefully, her voice was even but he could tell she was trying hard to keep it under control. "'Ow could you 'ave calmly stood zere and said goodbye to zose people after what zey did to you?" Her voice shook slightly at the end.

It was an intriguing question. He honestly had no idea how to answer her.

Yes he hated them. But it was a different kind of hate. Somewhere, somehow, he pitied them. If they died he wouldn't shed a single tear. He would most likely say 'good riddance' to their graves before walking away.

He pitied how low they had fallen. They always thought they were better than everyone else, the homeless people on the streets…the neighbors…yet they never saw themselves the way everyone else did.

At the same time, there was a part of him. A traitorous part of him that will always carry a shred of gratitude for them for taking him in when they could have easily left him outside or dumped him off somewhere. If asked about an year ago, he wouldn't have cared what his life would have been like. But now, he wanted what he had now, he did not want it to change.

"I don't know." He said quietly, running his hands along her soft hair. "I know I should hate them. I know I should do something about them. But…" He was silent for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I just don't care. It doesn't happen anymore." He could feel her hand stiffen on his chest. "It's nothing but a distant memory."

"'Ow do you do eet." She whispered, trailing her fingers gently along his arm, on the exact spot which he could remember had been a dark purple 5 years ago. The way she was touching him as if he was so delicate, it was like she could see the wounds and was trying to soothe them. "Why did zey do all zose 'orrible zings to you?" He felt his heart sink when he saw that her eyes were wet.

"Hey…" He murmured gently, wiping her tears away as softly as he could with his finger. "It's just the way they were I guess." She buried her face in his chest and he hugged her closer to him, not knowing what else to do.

"You are never going back zere." She whispered, looking up at him. Her face was set and he knew from her determined look it was pointless to even try to convince her otherwise. "I don't care what anyone says. You will never go back near zem." He smiled in response and nodded, glad to see that there were no more tears in her eyes.

"How did you find out though?" He asked after a while. She had resumed to using his chest as a pillow but neither of them were even close to falling asleep.

"I can't really explain eet." She said softly. "Eet was like I could feel a connection between us." She gently caressed the spot near his neck where the mark was and it burnt slightly under her touch, although it wasn't an unpleasant sensation. "I don't know 'ow, but I could feel you in me."

He nodded in understanding; he knew what she was talking about. "I wasn't really zinking at zat time, but I…leaned into eet and suddenly eet was like I was seeing, feeling everyzing zat man was doing to you." She shivered as she said it. "I'm sorry if I…"

"No. I'm glad you found out that a way." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Saved me the trouble of trying to tell you about it someday." She smiled slightly before leaning in to kiss him tenderly.

"Coward." He couldn't help but gaze back at her, taking note of the way she seemed to almost glow under the moonlight. She was nothing less than a goddess in the flesh and she was _his. _He would gladly have done his life again from the beginning without changing a thing just to have her with him.

He felt her hand on his cheek, cupping it before her lips were on his almost immediately afterwards, wiping all thought from his mind as he returned the kiss. The moon seemed to have finally emerged from the clouds and their room was bathed in a pearly white glow while the curtains were swaying to the biting cold wind. It didn't bother them at all, their arms protecting each other from the cold and it was a long time before they broke apart, she was breathing hard as she rested her head against his so that their lips were still lightly brushing each other.

"_You're mine" _She whispered, gazing at him. _"I can't imagine what I would have done if I didn't meet you that day." _

"_I love you." _He said softly, his breath warm on her lips as she put closed the distance between them again. He didn't know what made him say it but it rolled so easily out of him.

"_I love you too."_

* * *

"Go on." Fleur said gently, hugging him from behind. He was literally shaking, it was funny how he could do everything he'd done and still be so nervous over something so trivial.

Well…trivial compared to what he'd done.

His O.W.L results had finally arrived 3 days later during breakfast which brought him to where he was now. Standing frozen in the middle of the dining room and eyeing the official looking letter with an expression close to horror.

"You don't 'ave anyzing to be scared about." Aurélie said softly. "Just get eet over wiz. Quick and painless." He was biting his lip in worry and kept fumbling with the envelope which bore the seal of the Department of Magical Education.

He finally got it out and flipped it open as the room grew quiet.

It was a long time before anyone spoke, Harry looked speechless as did Fleur who was reading over his shoulder.

"'Ow'd you do?" Apolline asked tentatively. He handed it to her wordlessly as Caroline and the others crowded around her to read it, even Gabrielle was trying to peek at it as she sat down at the dining table.

_Name: Harry James Potter_

_School: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Britain)_

_Attended years: 4 _

_**Pass Grades**_

_(__**O**__) - Outstanding (__**E**__) - Exceeds Exceptions (__**A**__) – Acceptable_

_**Fail Grades**_

_(__**P**__) – Poor (__**D**__) – Dreadful (__**T**__) - Troll_

_You have received the following;_

_**Ancient Runes: O***_

_**Astronomy: O***_

_**Charms: O**_

_**Defense Against the Dark Arts: O****_

_**Herbology: O**_

_**History of Magic: E**_

_**Potions: O**_

_**Transfiguration: O***_

_(*) You have achieved among the top 10 results in the world for Ancient Runes, Astronomy and Transfiguration. _

_(**) You have also achieved a perfect score for Defense against the Dark Arts. _

The letter ended with the seal and signature of the Department head.

Apolline looked up at Harry who still looked shocked and chuckled before sternly asking. "Well? 'Ow are you going to explain zis 'E'?" He tried to speak but his words were caught on his throat when she pulled him into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you." She said softly. "I'll send a letter to Sirius. Even zough 'e won't show eet 'e's been worried about zis."

"You were?" He asked in a hurt voice making her laugh before pecking his cheek.

"Of course not." He still continued to look disbelieving but she merely winked before walking away.

"You are insane." Caroline muttered under her breath, still reading his results. "A _perfect _score? I didn't know such a thing existed."

"Now zere's nozzing else you 'ave to worry about anymore right?" Fleur asked, guiding him to the couch and making him sit on it before dropping herself to his lap. "Well?" He grinned mischievously before poking her side where making her squeak as he found her sensitive spot.

"'Arry…" She growled warningly, trying to wriggle out of his arms which had firmly locked around her waist. "I'm warning you. Don't even zink..." She trailed off as he slowly relaxed his arms making her sigh in relief before screaming "NO!" and broke out giggling as he started tickling her while they watched in amusement.

The past couple of days the three of them had observed the two closely. Back then, sure…any fool could see what was going on between them with the way they looked at each other but they always sought to be on their own. Now though it seemed like neither of them cared who was around them anymore.

It was Fleur who was more surprising. She was/still is their best friend. The 4 of them had been inseparable at Beauxbatons yet they'd never seen her so…euphoric than how she is now. It was like the expressionless mask she'd used back in Beauxbatons when facing anyone other than them was no longer possible for her.

While losing the power to make Harry's face go beet red with a few choice words, which was done mostly because there was no word other than 'cute' to describe him when he did that as Fleur maintained. Something which the three of them agreed wholeheartedly on, it seemed like a small price to pay.

They'd always thought Harry was more than just 'good looking'. Now he was that and more to a point that it was almost painful. Even Caroline confessed shamelessly that when she teasingly asked Fleur if she would be willing to share him, she was only half kidding.

It came as no surprise to them that Fleur had used her own unique magic to bind herself to Harry and vice versa. They knew all about Veela; Beauxbatons made it a point to educate its students about different beings to stop prejudice early on. Something which was a wasted effort due to the harassment Fleur…or admittedly any Veela endured even though it did gradually improve over the years.

They could still remember the horror stories that surrounded any Veela to have ever set foot in Beauxbatons. One of them being about a distant cousin of Fleur's who had been on her final year at Beauxbatons when she had just started on her first.

Nevertheless it still made the three of them incredibly jealous of them for having something as special as they did. It wasn't every day you could find a couple completely and utterly devoted to each other to a point that their lives depended on it.

But even through all that, they were happy for them. After everything the two of them had been put through, they deserved a break.

"How long before the tables turn on him?" Caroline asked conversationally, sitting back down to resume with breakfast which had been lying forgotten on the table ever since the owl had come with Harry's results.

"'E's making a mistake." Aurélie said in a singsong voice although she was still reading his results. It was only the three of them sitting at the table now, Apolline had gone to send Sirius a letter with Gabrielle tagging along behind her and it seemed like Harry and Fleur had forgotten all about breakfast.

True to her word, within seconds Fleur was in control and had him writhing under her as he pleaded with her in between peals of laughter to stop.

* * *

The days seemed to accelerate from then on. Amy unfortunately had to leave just two weeks after she'd arrived due to her enrollment in a Magical Academy close to Bordeaux for further studies and training for her position in the ministry in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Something she had picked up interest on after the Triwizard Tournament, which was what she _said_ but both Caroline and Aurélie stood firm on their position that it was only because of her new boyfriend in Bulgaria.

They still managed to attend the festival before she had to leave though, this time with the whole family and the girls minus Alana who had gone back home a few days after Harry's birthday.

At the festival it was like the Yule Ball all over again except in a much, much more informal setting. They did make for a striking group, what with Fleur, Apolline, and even Gabrielle who despite just turning 11, still had the same traits as her mother and sister. Adding Aurélie, Caroline and Amy who were among the best looking girls Beauxbatons had to offer meant poor Harry and Dominique were the subjects of mutinous mutterings from the male population.

It also didn't help that Harry and Dominique were the prey of almost every single female that caught sight of them. Harry who looked a few years older than his real age by his outward appearance in addition to his rather exotic looks was uncomfortable as he felt the leers of women around him. Dominique was no better off. Despite being much older, he still had the rugged, handsome looks most women would give anything for.

Of course it was to no avail. The icy glares Fleur and Apolline sent at them were enough to scare them away as they stuck close to their men. It was then that Harry saw just where Fleur got her possessive nature from by looking at Apolline. Dominique caught his eye and both burst out laughing at the similarity of their situation although they did pay for it by rather painful knocks on their heads by their respective Veela who were, at least for the time being far from amused.

The entire Delacour family and the girls finally saw what only Fleur had been able to see as they watched Harry and Fleur together, dancing under the bright lamps around them as the crowds around them cheered, clapping and egging them on. It was like the usually shy and somewhat closed off boy they knew Harry to be was no longer there. In place of him was a boy who had the power of making anyone who watched him smile, his laughter spreading like a plague.

Apolline had a few tears in her eyes as she watched Fleur, her bright blue eyes alive with happiness as Harry twirled her around. Even Dominique looked rather emotional as he watched his daughter, the same person who had been afraid to let a man other than him touch her, looking the happiest he'd ever seen in the arms of the raven haired boy.

It still didn't stop the girls from taking their turns with Harry, getting their promises fulfilled. He was still chuckling as he watched Fleur getting dragged in to dance with Aurélie despite her protests earning quite a few wolf whistles from the crowd.

This night served to be one of the best of his life. He could not remember Voldemort, he could not remember Death. He could not remember anything other than what was happening right now.

He was just another face in the crowd, enjoying a summer festival with his family and friends.

* * *

They finally visited the magical part of Paris, dubbed "L'autre rue". The entrance was closed off by a brick wall in a darkened alley, facing the Eiffel tower however it seemed like muggles didn't even notice the alley, or the amount of people that went into it. Just like platform nine and three quarters at King's cross, they only had to walk through the brick wall.

It was…a lot more organized than Diagon Alley. He could understand why Fleur had stuck so close to him when they had been walking down the crooked street, here there was actually a lot of space letting large groups of people walk either up or down the streets side by side in relative comfort. The danger of brushing against someone else was not as extreme as it was in Diagon Alley.

A Gringotts building still dominated the view though, standing majestically at the distance looking every bit as grand as it did back in England. He also caught sight of familiar shop names such as 'Twilfitt and Tattings', a 'robes for all occasions' shop just like Madam Malkin's which he'd seen in Diagon Alley even though he'd never visited it.

They spend the whole day there, which mostly consisted of him being dragged around by Fleur and the others. It did unfortunately mean that he was dragged into clothes shops as the girls were intent on doing a bit of shopping. Thankfully he avoided the torture of having to try anything on since Fleur assured them she had taken care of his wardrobe problem.

As an added bonus he was treated to by them modeling their clothes for him. Aurélie and Caroline broke down giggling at the sight of Harry when Fleur came out of the changing rooms with a wide smile on her face, having dragged Harry in with her so he could pick out her more private clothing accessories. His cheeks looked like they'd taken a permanent red glow and he had a slightly dazed expression on his face which didn't improve at all when she kissed him in thanks before moving on to pay for her clothes leaving her friends to try and snap him out of his daze.

Later in the afternoon they were sitting at a coffee shop just outside the entrance to muggle Paris.

"You're taking ze apprenticeship at Nantes zen?" Aurélie asked curiously.

"Oui, I'm just going to complete eet." Fleur replied, taking a bite from her cake. "Eet isn't somezing I've settled in doing zough…but for now…" Aurélie nodded in understanding.

"What are you two going to do?" Harry asked

"I 'ave a part een papa's new idea." She said in embarrassment.

"Hey! Tell them the truth! It was something _you _thought up of." Caroline said brightly, budging Aurélie's elbow making her glare at her before blushing under the identical looks of astonishment on Harry and Fleur's faces.

"No way…you thought up of that?" He asked in wonder. "Brilliant!"

"Zat's amazing!" Fleur exclaimed.

"I know…" she sighed. "I just didn't zink eet could become such a big deal, eet was just an idea I 'ad but papa was so excited about eet. 'E 'as already invested 'alf ze company's resources in eet and I'm just nervous zat…"

"What are you talking about? It'll be fine." He cut in firmly making the blue haired witch look up in surprise.

"Oui, trust us Aurélie." Fleur said warmly. "Eet will work out. Eet's one of your ideas after all non?"

"Merci." She said softly, still trying to get her blush under control from the praise. Catching sight of Caroline who was smirking she jerked her head towards her. "She's going to enroll in ze Auror academy."

"Aurélieeee" The redhead whined, her smirk disappearing.

"Why are they hiding…why are they hiding everything from us?" Harry suddenly asked, looking at Fleur and ignoring the two of them completely, a mock hurt expression on his face.

"I don't know 'Arry, looks like we aren't zere friends anymore." Fleur returned, just as sadly without missing a beat. Their faces broke into identical evil grins when they saw Aurélie and Caroline staring at them.

"You two are similar in so many ways, it's unnerving." Caroline muttered under her breath.

"Congratulations on getting into the Auror academy." Harry said sincerely while Fleur gave her best wishes too. It was quite an achievement, getting enrolled in the Auror academy meant that a witch or wizard were well on their way to becoming one. They didn't take anyone but the best schools had to offer.

The redhead blushed, thanking the two. After spending about half an hour more of lazing around they finally paid their bill which Harry insisted on getting and stepped back outside to the muggle world. It was late at night when the four of them got back home however, having spent most of the night at the top of the Eiffel tower, enjoying the view as they talked about what else would change the next time they meet.

* * *

In what felt like almost no time at all, Caroline and Aurélie had to leave.

They were all going their separate ways. While back then after summer the girls had looked forward to getting back together in the new year at Beauxbatons, that was no longer possible. Fleur was finding it hard to stop crying as she hugged her two lifelong friends. Despite the promises of seeing them again by Christmas, it was still heart wrenching, knowing that they could no longer spend time together as they used to.

Harry felt like there was a large lump at his throat watching them. This was different than the last time when he'd said goodbye to them; he'd had something to count on, he'd known he was going to see them again soon. This time there was no such thing' He was trying his hardest not to think about the feeling of loneliness that was gripping him as he remembered he was going to be back in Hogwarts soon and that this time, none of them were going to be around to make him smile like the last time.

"We'll see you again soon." Caroline said softly, taking his hand in hers. Her eyes were not dancing with the mischievousness he'd grown to see in her eyes whenever he looked at her. They were wet. Her bottom lip was trembling. Aurélie was still being hugged by Fleur who had her face buried in her shoulder.

"Soon." His voice was quiet. He tried to manage a smile but failed miserably as he was pulled into a tight hug by her. As hard as he tried, he couldn't help the few tears that leaked out. "You'll make a great Auror." He whispered in her ear. She tightened her arms around him before leaning back and giving him a watery smile before pecking his cheek and assuming a stern expression.

"You better be cuter the next time I see you." His lips curved upwards before nodding.

Aurélie came up to him next. Seeing her he felt his heart throb painfully. She was the one other person apart from Fleur he was closest to. He didn't know why, but she always felt a lot closer to him than the other two, despite how he saw them all as his best friends. She didn't say anything, wordlessly pulling him into a hug. After several long moments she pulled away, a small smile on her face except for the tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Be good." He nodded, not trusting words to come out. "And don't go looking for trouble." He managed a weak chuckle at this, but nevertheless nodded again.

"I won't." After kissing his cheek and hugging Fleur and Apolline one last time, the two witches stepped outside, vanishing into the night.

It was a long time before either Harry or Fleur got to sleep that night. Fleur was holding onto him tightly, as if her life depended on it yet they both couldn't stop the thoughts plaguing their minds. Time was running out, and it wouldn't be long before they were going to have to be apart from each other.

* * *

Fleur's birthday was the only happy occasion after that. It enabled them to put the thoughts of Harry's impending departure from mind for the time being.

Fleur woke up on the morning of the 26th, instinctively feeling around for Harry before her eyes snapped open when she realized he wasn't there. After getting ready she walked downstairs, her face breaking into a wide smile when she saw Harry, her mother, father, grandmother and little sister all standing at the bottom of the stairs, singing 'Happy birthday'. Laughing she dived into Harry's arms before turning to her family.

Harry nervously gave her a box which turned out to be…a set of perfumes. After properly thanking him she turned to her parents who had given her yet another dress except this one was plainly muggle made and black. Still it was beautiful and when she moved to give her mother a hug after her father, she murmured in her ear softly _"Don't put it away." _

"By the way." Harry said with a small grin, reappearing after disappearing upstairs momentarily; bringing out a rather large box. "Caroline, Aurélie and Amy left this with me before they went. Said to give it to you when the time was right."

It turned out to be another mp3 player, just like Harry's courtesy of Aurélie. Unlike him Fleur already had taken to music from a long time ago. It also contained set of books, all in French which turned out to be novels.

"You never told me you liked this sort of thing." He asked curiously, rifling through the pages of one of them.

"You never asked." She quipped, making him groan. Winking at him she replaced them and proceeded to write a quick note before giving it to one of the house elves to send.

They cut the cake a little early in the afternoon which surprised her. She was even more surprised when almost immediately afterwards she was dragged upstairs and into her room which she hardly used anymore by her mother and grandmother.

"_What's going on?" _She asked, looking at the two of them.

"_Go take a shower quickly. Leave the rest to us." _Alana ordered, sitting at the edge of her bed. Her mother had brought the dress she'd given in the morning up with her. Puzzled, she did as she was told.

About an hour later she was dressed in the elegant one piece black dress which modestly covered her chest, most of her back exposed except for the strings criss-crossing and ending just above her hips from where the dress lightly hugged her body. Her mother had done something to her hair, tying it in a ponytail backwards and to top it off she was wearing matching black high heels.

"_You look so beautiful." _Apolline said softly, gazing at her proudly.

"_Thank you. But why am I wearing this?" _In answer her mother stood up, a huge grin on her face with Alana who had a similar expression before pushing her gently outside. Halfway down the stairs she came to a complete halt when she spotted Harry, waiting patiently for her at the foot, sporting the familiar lopsided grin on his face.

He was wearing formal muggle attire, which looked _extremely _good on him. He had his hair tied back just the way she liked it and at the moment when his eyes, which she could have sworn were almost glowing locked on hers, she was overcome by a sudden urge to kiss him senseless. An urge which she had to work hard to suppress.

"_You're staring dear." _Apolline whispered in her ear making her blush while Alana chuckled beside her.

"_If I believed in male Veela, I'd say he's one of them." _She silently agreed.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs he took her hand gently, brushing his lips against hers in an almost feather light touch. _"Will you do me the pleasure of accompanying me this evening my dear lady?" _She giggled at the formal tone he used but deciding to play along slid her arm through his.

Outside a car was waiting for them, the driver jumped outside and after a quick salute to them, opened the door at the back before standing aside. Turning around she saw her father and mother leaning against the doorway, watching them. After a quick wave they shut the door as she climbed inside, followed by Harry who nodded his thanks to the driver who proceeded to shut the door after him and going around the front, slid into the driver's seat. A few minutes later the car was quietly pulling out of the driveway and into the main road.

"You arranged zis?" She asked quietly as he shifted nervously.

"Yes. Are y-" She cut him off by kissing his cheek, effectively stopping him from trying to explain himself.

"Zere's nozzing I could 'ave liked more zan to spend zis night alone wiz you." The smile he got on his face almost made her lose control again, it was like her very being was calling to him, to feel his touch.

They spent about an hour in the car as it took straight to Paris. The driver didn't ask anything of them, leaving them free to snuggle up against each other as they took in the sights. Paris at night was beautiful; there was no other word for it. The blazing lights, the tower, it caught the eye and didn't let go.

They came to a stop right underneath the Eiffel tower. After paying the driver who offered to wait for them, they proceeded to enter the tower and got into one of the elevators. Fleur knew that the restaurants here were pricey, adding to how it only got more expensive the higher up you. They finally reached the one where Harry seemed to be heading when he gently pulled her out of the elevator with him somewhere near the peak at the top. It was crowded but at the sight of them, they parted, watching in awe as the two of them walked through.

At the front a neatly dressed waited approached them with an apologetic expression. But Harry muttered something quietly to him and the waiter checked through a list, his eyes widening before he quickly moved to open the door, granting them entrance as another one came up to them and led the two of them to a rather enclosed space which was set a pleasant distance away from the other diners before giving them their menus.

"So zis was where you were when we couldn't find you for about an 'our ze last time we came 'ere?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him who grinned sheepishly.

"This wasn't my first choice, there was one a few levels above us but it was already booked."

"'Arry zis is too much, even if…" He waved his hand airily.

"I wanted to." He said simply. "I always did want to do something like this with you." She smiled coyly up at him.

"Confessions confessions…" She sang quietly, laughing at the mock glare he sent her way.

The rest of dinner passed too quickly for their liking. The food was nothing less than excellent and they spent most of their time talking about things of little importance. The shadow of what was to come still loomed somewhere in their heads but they were able to fully forget it.

Afterwards they took the elevators again and, going to the highest they could go up the tower. She was shivering when they came out to the cold night air. Something which Harry quickly countered by covering her up with his jacket. Smiling her thanks up at him she casted a discreet warming charm over them before leaning against him as he wrapped his arm around her.

It was a long time before either of them moved, taking in the vast city from their dark corner. "If anyone told me I'd fall in love wiz someone before meeting you, I would 'ave laughed at zem." She said softly after a while. He gazed at her in amusement.

"I'll take that as a compliment?" She grinned back.

"You should." He chuckled, giving her a brief squeeze before falling silent again as they were entranced by the view once again. She sighed before tilting her face towards his, his eyes meeting hers.

"Zis was ze best birthday I ever 'ad 'Arry. For zat I zank you." She murmured before planting a light kiss on his lips. He was going to say something but stopped when he felt her fingers on his lips, lightly tracing them. "Zis…Is for everyzing else you've done for me." She whispered before kissing him again.

She slowly drew away after several long moments but was pleasantly surprised when he tugged her back, the kiss deepening with every passing second. It was when a quiet moan escaped her did she realize what they were doing here on top of the Eiffel tower with people just a few feet away from them. He didn't even seem to realize that he had been trailing kisses along her neck.

"'Arry…we can't…" She gasped as he hit a particularly sensitive spot. "We're still 'ere…we need to get back…" She lost all train of thought when his lips moved back to hers. Her hands had a mind of its own as they were tugging at his shirt collar, desperately trying to loosen it. She could feel herself giving in and knew if he didn't stop, she would cease to care how many people were around them. "We need…wait…go back home." She paused, pulling herself together as best she could before gripping his hand firmly and concentrating hard as the suffocating feeling engulfed both of them.

Harry couldn't believe what he'd done and was still trying to recover from the sensation of apparating. He wasn't given a chance as after only managing to take a couple of deep breaths he felt his back slam against a wall as he was roughly pushed up against it.

"My turn." He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he'd almost taken her right there in front of all those people. He couldn't believe he'd lost control like that but it was wiped from his mind when he felt her warm lips on his neck. He could only just recognize the corridor, they were back at the Delacour residence. They had disappeared into thin air in plain view of the muggles that had been on top of the tower with them.

A small part of him felt sorry for the poor driver waiting for them at the foot of the tower.

He felt himself fall back on the bed in their room, the door shutting with a click behind them. He hadn't even noticed Fleur had guided them through to their room.

She had a look of unbridled lust on her face as she climbed on top of him. Her dress was on the floor beside them and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She paused, letting his eyes rove over her and shivering with pleasure at the way he couldn't look away. She straddled him, causing them both to moan as he felt his clothes being ripped apart. It seemed like whatever was left of her inhibitions were long gone.

This time there was no pain, no awkwardness. They reveled in the feeling of closeness, the relief as they felt complete. It was as if the bonds they already had were getting stronger, tighter, as if magic itself was doing its best to give them what they wanted, a way to be closer to each other. They knew they had something truly unique. Mo matter how hard it was, how long it took, they would go to any length to be with each other.

Perhaps for the first time in her life, Fleur was truly thankful for her heritage.

* * *

September 1st found Harry sitting at the edge of the bed, watching the old clock tower as the minutes ticked away. He'd woken up a few hours ago only to find that Fleur wasn't with him as he'd grown accustomed to. He didn't try to find her, instead concentrating on getting himself ready bringing to where he was now; His trunk packed and Hedwig locked inside her cage.

The owl seemed to sense her master's sadness, it was a wonder she wasn't making an uproar as she always did when she had to be locked in the cage.

Harry buried his face in his hands, trying not to think about Hogwarts. It was different this time, he was going _alone. _He hadn't realized how much he'd depended on Ron and Hermione back then. The thought of having friends had been comforting, but now it wasn't the same.

Who could blame him? Everything seemed to have started to go downhill. Sirius and Remus had dropped by a few days ago to drop his new school things off for the 6th year but they had bad news with them. They weren't going to be able to see him at Hogwarts. The risks of them getting caught was now high. The Ministry had decided to keep a closer watch on Hogwarts for the sake of protecting the students against any 'absurdities' and the 'ravings of an old madman'. To think they'd go so far…he didn't have it in him to care anymore.

He hated not being able to see his godfather and Remus at school. He'd been counting on them for comfort, a way to get by. Hogwarts wasn't exactly welcoming anymore.

He wasn't just the laughing stock or the fame crazed liar of the wizarding world anymore. Rita Skeeter, the woman who had written all the poisonous things about him last year had been released somehow and she'd attacked him viciously. The end result…in their eyes he was disturbed. He was dangerous.

Fleur…the one person he needed, the person who could make everything okay was not going to be with him. He couldn't begin to explain how it felt not having her with him, the _thought_ of not having her with him.

The door opened and he hastily wiped his eyes. It was Apolline. She didn't say anything; instead she closed the door and sat beside him.

"All packed zen?" She asked gently. He nodded, unable to find his voice. He kept his head facing the floor, his hair covering his face as he fought the emotions warring inside him. Apolline who he'd come to view as a mother, Dominique who had easily become someone like Sirius, Gabrielle who was like his little sister…it was the first time he was feeling the pain of leaving family behind.

"You and my daughter are so alike…" She said softly after a while. "Both of you 'ide yourselves away and never like to show what you're feeling to ozzers. Even your own family." He kept quiet, stiffening slightly when he felt her hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her while the other brushed his hair aside so that she could see his face, watching as the determined expression was slowly getting chipped away, breaking down before her eyes.

"Eet will be alright." She said with a small smile, hugging him to her chest. She heard him gasp before he relaxed and she knew he was finally letting himself go.

Doing her best to comfort him she held him tightly. Even though Fleur always refused to tell her what he had gone through, she could see the hidden pain in his eyes. She wanted to be there to comfort him. She wanted him to see her as his mother. In her eyes he was already her son.

She couldn't begin to imagine what he and her daughter were going through. When she'd met Dominique and established a relationship, they hadn't let each other out of their sight. It still hurt her to see her husband leave for work. If they had a choice, she wouldn't have let him and Fleur be separated at all from the moment she marked him.

She wouldn't accept anyone other than Harry as her daughter's mate but she did wish he did not have the burden of being the boy who lived. Things would have been so much easier then.

It was a long time before he finally calmed down. She finally let him go and moved to get up when he spoke two words, so quiet that it was barely above a whisper but those two words caused her to freeze, giving her a profound feeling of happiness.

"Thanks mom."

She could sense another person in the room and turned to see her daughter leaning against the door with a smile mirroring her own as her eyes started to blur. Getting up she walked towards her, stopping to grip her shoulder reassuringly before she stepped out, shutting the door behind her.

"'Arry?" He looked up, not bothering to hide his face which still had dried tear tracks on it. Not like she was any different. Her hand closed around his and pulled him to his feet and his lips curved upwards in a small smile when he saw her hairband in her hand.

She put her arms around his neck, tying his hair back the way she'd taken a liking to. He stood there, letting her do the work as he watched her, trying to memorize every little detail about her as he could. Once she was done she leaned closer to him as if to kiss him but stopped when her lips were hovering just a few centimeters from his.

"I know you lose a lot of zese zings. Zere will be 'ell to pay if you lose zis one."

"I won't." She nodded before moving closer, her soft lips moving over his gently as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. They stayed together for what felt like several hours, both trying to memorize the unique taste of each other. When they finally broke apart he buried his face in her hair making her smile before leaning back.

"I never did apologize for zis one." She murmured, touching the darkened purple bruise on his neck which she had given him last night. He chuckled before leaning his head against hers.

"You have your own. We're even." She smiled softly, cupping his cheek before kissing him chastely again. "Come." She gripped his hand firmly before leading him out the room.

Downstairs they found that Sirius and Remus had arrived too.

"We better get going Harry, it's almost time." Sirius muttered, gazing at the clock. He didn't even try to tease Harry or Fleur like he usually did.

"_You'll be back by Christmas right?" _Alana asked, although from her tone it was more like an order. He managed a smile at this before nodding and moving to give her a hug. _"Don't get into too much trouble." _She ruffled his hair before allowing him to slide out of her arms.

"Can I?" Sirius asked innocently, his arms out wide and moving towards Alana making everyone, even Harry and Fleur laugh as Alana smirked before obliging. When he finally let go of her he had a dazed grin on his face and from the look in his eyes, they all knew he had caught a healthy dose of her allure.

"_Mother!" _Apolline exclaimed incredulously, looking between her and Sirius. Alana merely winked back while Remus sighed before moving to Sirius, poking him very hard on his ribs and jerking him out of his stupor.

Harry felt someone tugging at his hand, looking down to find it was Gabrielle he immediately picked the little girl up. She merely peeked at his hand, nodding in satisfaction when she found the band she'd given still tied firmly on his wrist.

"_Do I pass?" _He asked humorously.

"Oui." She pecked his cheek, giggling as he teasingly tickled the back of her neck.

Apolline hugged him tightly as soon as Gabrielle jumped off his arms. "I'm sorry but I and your grandmuzzer 'ave to be somewhere soon." He grinned sheepishly at this but nodded, briefly tightening his arms around her. He didn't know what made him call her mother, but he didn't regret it one bit. She smiled before kissing him just over his scar before releasing him.

Both Sirius and Remus were watched this exchange in surprise albeit happily. What was surprising was that Harry wasn't trying to shy away from her, it was the opposite.

It was exactly how they'd imagined how Lily and her son would have been like.

"I won't be able to come with you to the station either pup." Sirius said apologetically, pulling him into a one armed hug. "Even though we can't see you as before, we'll find a way to come visit you. And…" His voice dropped lower. "Please don't do anything reckless. I know it's hard to believe coming from me but neither me or Moony will be around all the time. Just keep your head down and let the idiots around you keep being idiots. You'll be out of that place soon. I promise."

"I will." He grinned up at his godfather. "Thank you."

"You're going to hate this, but I can see 2 floo jumps and 1 apparition coming up in your near future." Dominique said with a small smirk when Sirius let go of Harry who upon hearing this groaned.

True to his word, Harry honestly felt like throwing up a half hour later as he was leaning against a dark alley just behind King's Cross with Fleur was rubbing his back trying hard not to smile while he was muttering venomously under his breath, casting dark looks at Remus every now and then.

They had to take the floo to the French ministry where 5 minutes later they took _another _floo to the Leaky Cauldron before almost immediately being squeezed through the airtight tube of apparition by Remus. He did apologize though but he reasoned he didn't want to run be accosted by the masses at the crowded pub.

Fleur didn't let go of his hand the whole time as they walked into the station. His trunk had been charmed to be featherlight by Remus which he was pulling easily from behind. He'd let Hedwig out with instructions to fly to Hogwarts seeing as magical travel didn't agree with owls. Something which Hedwig was quite pleased about and admittedly if he had a choice, he too would have preferred to just fly all the way to Hogwarts on his new Firebolt just to avoid the horrible sensations of travelling by magic.

He saw familiar faces all around him as they walked quickly through the crowds with Remus and Dominique just behind them. Each time he met someone's eyes they didn't seem to recognize him, their eyes sliding to Fleur before their eyes widened in slow realization as they recognized her and in turn, him.

Remus watched Harry sadly, noticing his stiff posture and the mask that he was slowly slipping back on. The usual warm glow in his vivid green eyes slowly disappearing with each step they took to be replaced by the same icy look in them he could so vividly remember.

Harry and Fleur went in first, as soon as they were sure no one was looking right at them. He smiled slightly when he saw how Fleur was watching the bright red train, momentarily distracted by it before sobering quickly as he saw Mrs. Weasley standing a few feet away from them. She was looking away, waving at the train but he did not want to get more than a few feet near her. Most of the crowd had thinned as most of the students had already boarded the train, all that was left on the platform were the parents and the last few students who were frantically trying to get their luggage loaded on board.

"Try and have a good year pup." Remus said softly, hugging him briefly.

"Don't worry." He murmured. He knew what Remus meant. "Things are different now." He added with, gazing at Fleur who was at Dominique's side. Dominique was saying something quietly to her, his arm on her shoulder. Remus smiled, looking at the Veela before ruffling his head.

"Things are indeed different. I don't need to remind you what she'd do to you if you step out of the line do I?" He asked making him chuckle weakly.

He moved towards Dominique and Fleur who were at the side, giving him and Remus some privacy. Harry was momentarily surprised when he was pulled into a one armed hug briefly by the Auror who chuckled at his expression.

"I look forward to having you back with us Harry." He said softly. "We already feel like something's missing." He looked towards Fleur who had her face turned away and after patting his shoulder one last time, he moved away with Remus.

She buried her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She felt so fragile, as if she could break at any moment and it nearly took away his resolve to get on the train.

A warning siren pierced the air but he paid no heed to it as he continued to hold her, not wanting to let go.

"'Arry." She whispered. He stiffened before releasing his grip as he gazed in her gleaming blue orbs. Tears were freely running down her cheeks and from the wetness in his eyes, he knew he couldn't hide his own any longer. "You 'ave to go." Even as she said it, a second warning siren blared.

He nodded, pressing his forehead against hers even as she wrapped her arms around his neck, turning his face so their lips could meet. It was soft and gentle as before, she poured all her love, all her feelings for him into it. Trying to make him remember it just as he did the same. It held a promise, a vow that they would be waiting for the other.

He whispered the three simple words that made her feel complete as he hugged her tightly one last time just as she did the same, fighting the desire to turn on the spot with him and disapparate with him, whisking him away to somewhere where no one would think to look for them and they could live out their lives in peace.

Then he was gone, disappearing into the train without a backward glance. She turned away, barely keeping herself together as she found her way into her father's arms and together they walked back out into the muggle world.

* * *

Harry took a few moments at the back as the train gathered speed. Thankfully everyone were inside their compartments and he had no wish to face anyone as he was now. After splashing some cold water on his face at the bathroom near the front of the train, he walked back, trying to find a compartment that wasn't filled.

People stared shamelessly as he passed, most of them surprisingly didn't seem to recognize him at all as they only gazed at him with interest. He had no wish to sit with anyone at all, a small part of him wanted to find Daphne but as soon as he saw her, Tracey and another a girl sitting together he decided against it. He didn't really feel up to facing anyone.

Finally finding one at the very end of the train which was blissfully empty he slipped inside, tucking his trunk into one of the overhead containers before dropping into the seat, leaning against his seat and watching as the train steadily picked up speed, just beginning to enter the countryside, his mind still on Fleur.

He was distracted momentarily when his compartment door slid open and a 4th year Gryffindor he didn't know by name stumbled in, her mouth open in mid question before freezing. He looked blankly at her, watching as she her cheeks colored. He could see the recognition in her eyes as they settled on his scar.

He twitched irritably when she didn't move after a couple of seconds. Whether she was flustered, scared or whatever it was that was making her freeze he didn't care. It was still rude for her to stare at him.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked tonelessly. She jumped before blushing which only served to irritate him more.

"N-no. Sorry." She was gone in a flash.

After what felt like hours he finally dug into his pocket before drawing out the earphones, the mp3 player inside his pocket. He'd used it a couple of times over the summer when Fleur had tried to get him to listen to some music. While it hadn't been too bad, he wasn't too fussed about it. But now seemed like a good time to try it. After all, he had to make the time pass somehow until they reached Hogwarts.

He drifted off to sleep, listening to something he caught on muggle radio. He was however woken up a few hours later by someone poking him.

"See! I told you it was him!" A voice said.

"Oi Harry!" An identical voice said loudly.

"Get that thing off his ear." He blinked before pulling them off, gazing up at the grinning faces of Fred and George.

"Hey." He said quietly, managing a half smile at them. His thoughts kept jumping to Fleur and the raw feeling of emptiness had not subsided at all. Fred's smirk vanished momentarily.

"You alright there mate?" He nodded, straightening up as the two dropped into the seats in front of him.

"Yeah."

"Why are you here by your lonesome? You could have joined us." George said while his twin nodded vigorously.

"Didn't feel like it, sorry but I…"

"Was too busy thinking about your lovely French Veela?" Fred finished for him. "Man she's got you properly whipped." He shrugged. George leaned over, tugging at the long strand of his hair that covered his ears, reaching towards his cheeks.

"You know that Katie, Alicia and Angelina all saw you and were trying to figure out who you were? They'll be so disappointed when they find out that their 'hottie at the end of the train' was you all along."

"Too right my brother, ickle Harrykins has me questioning my own sexual preferences."

"Agreed!" Harry couldn't help grinning at them.

"Fleur will never know, if you want to say…_experiment _with new things, you know where to find me…" George said with a disturbing leer.

"Me too." Fred added.

"Please tell me you two are kidding." Harry asked warily, looking between the two of them. "Please." Fred looked at his twin.

"I think we brought him back to normal?"

"Indeed we did. Don't worry Harry, we only think about certain members of the fairer sex when we get really lonely at night. You are definitely far, far away from them."

"For example, Angelina." George added.

"Alicia." Fred said brightly without missing a beat.

"Katie…"

"Fleur…" The twins burst out laughing at Harry's expression. "Okay…so in light of wanting to get out of this compartment alive we will cross that name off the list and pretend you never heard that."

"Thanks." Harry said dryly.

"I assume you know our dear brother made prefect? I swear if I didn't know better, from the way our mother was showing her affection for him we'd think something incest…"

"NO!" He yelled, covering his ears while George grinned ear to ear.

"Harry you sure you don't want to join us? It's only us, Lee and the girls. We could squeeze you in." Fred said thoughtfully.

"Pretty sure the girls will like having you in between them." George added. "Oh and Angelina's Quidditch captain by the way."

"I really don't feel like it guys." He said apologetically although the twins nodded. "Thanks though and tell Angelina I said congratulations."

"Will do." Fred said, getting to his feet and stretching as his twin followed suit.

"Well brother, our work here is done. We cheered him up, teased him, revealed two very disturbing secrets and potentially scarred him for the rest of his life."

"Too right." Fred agreed. "We're off to a great start. And I take it you haven't used any of the uhm…tools we provided you with? We'll be giving you a crash course on them later." Harry couldn't help smiling at the two of them, they just had their way of infecting anyone around them with their cheerfulness. After bowing simultaneously they made their exit.

Time passed on as he slipped back to his earlier stupor, absentmindedly caressing the pendant on his necklace as he listened to a lively tune. He didn't even know how long he'd stayed still, his thoughts still drifting towards Fleur before there was a knock on his compartment from the kindly old lady that pushed the lunch trolley. Buying a few cauldron cakes along with a few chocolate frogs, he proceeded to have an early lunch.

He was just taking a bite from his second to last chocolate frog, watching the farmlands speed by when his compartment door slid open again.

"There you are Potter."

"Hey Daphne." He smiled at her as she poked his forehead hard with a finger before dropping to a seat in front of him.

"I was wondering where you'd hidden away." Her face softened as she took in his features. "I did see you getting on the train back at the platform but I wasn't really sure it was you."

"That hurts you know." He grumbled making her grin. "And what was it that you and Fleur kept refusing to tell me about." She grinned and started curling a strand of her hair with her finger.

"Not yet."

"Come on…I waited all summer."

"It's technically still summer, seeing as the school term hasn't started yet." He groaned but remained quiet. There was no way he could win with her. "Fleur wrote to me about your O.W.L's. I heard you got a perfect score in Defense?" He nodded. "Insane's the word."

"Yeah I heard that one before."

"Anyway how was your summer? Where'd you two go?" Time slipped by as he happily recounted about his time with Fleur and the girls and she told him about hers in turn which was rather uneventful seeing as she was confined to her home for the most part.

The sky was turning a pleasant yellow/orange by the time she decided to get back to her compartment saying that Tracey was probably going to kill her for leaving her alone with Millicent who was admittedly, one of the ugliest and demented girls in the school. It was reality, there was no point trying to sugar coat it.

Not long after her however Hermione and Ron dropped in.

He had gone back to sleep and locked his compartment door so that he wouldn't be disturbed. It did take them quite a long time to wake him though, probably because of the music blaring in his ears.

Then again, Ronald Weasley was never one for tact.

"Stop it." He snapped, a little more loudly than he realized when he couldn't take the banging on his door. When he saw who it was it only added to his irritation but nevertheless pointed his wand at the door unlocking it.

"Why was the door locked?" He stared at Ron, trying to figure out what had changed. When he'd been in Grimmauld place, the redhead had been unable to even face him. It seemed like he'd gotten some confidence back.

"Because I was asleep." He said evenly. "And I wanted some peace and quiet."

Ron puffed out his chest importantly and suddenly Harry got a rather vivid image of Percy Weasley. "You shouldn't lock it, it should always be accessible for anyone in case of an emergency."

"I'll remember that." He said with a nod before adding, "Congratulations on becoming prefects." Ron seemed to swell with pride once again bombarded him with an image of Percy.

Painful silence settled in again and he could see Hermione eyeing the earphones dangling around his neck along with his wand interestedly. He knew she was holding her questions about them back.

"Is that all?" He asked, tilting his head sideways.

"Harry, Neville and Ginny are back in compare…" Hermione began but was cut off by him.

"No. Sorry Hermione, I have a few things to do." He said politely, slipping his earphone back on and hoping they'd take the hint. Ron nodded but Hermione still looked conflicted.

"Harry I…sorry I couldn't write to you for your birthday. Professor Dumbledore said sending letters would…" She was again interrupted by him as he shook his head with a small smile although his eyes remained cold.

"It's alright. I need to get changed though…could you…?" She nodded, getting the message and after a hastily muttered good bye, she was gone.

He sighed before getting to his feet. He really, really was not looking forward to being in Hogwarts.

An hour and a half later they were getting off the train. He was dressed in his school robes, which were rather uncomfortable for him, having gotten used to muggle attire over the summer.

The people around him had finally recognized him, judging by the low and rather hostile mutterings around him. They weren't even bothering to keep their voices down and he heard the words 'deranged' 'mental' and 'liar' more than a couple of times.

He was no stranger to this kind of hostility; perhaps the only thing that was different this time was the knowledge that the hate against him was not only confined to Hogwarts, but all around Britain.

He met these angry glares and mutters head on with a cold, expressionless face that could make the Ice Queen of Slytherin proud. Anyone who made eye contact with him either flinched or backed away. He didn't care what these people thought of him. He had nothing to prove to these people.

It still did amuse him at how girls grew flustered when they met his gaze. He wasn't narcissistic, but from his experience in France he knew what kind of effect he had on the fairer sex. Still, he found himself suppressing shivers of disgust at the way they stared at him, wishing that he was back in the arms of Fleur.

He came to a halt in front of the carriages, and was brought out of his musings when he saw that they were no longer horseless.

Pale black and skeletal, these horses held a kind of haunting beauty. Their pupil-less milky white eyes at first sent chills down his spine but something told him they meant no harm. None of the other students seemed to be able to see them as they clambered into the carriages talking happily with their peers.

As he drew closer, one of them took notice of him and tried to edge towards him. Taking pity on it he walked closer to it and held out his hand, grinning as it nuzzled into it playfully. Looking around he saw a gaggle of second years staring at him in fear. _Nice going Potter, you just gave them reason to believe you're a lunatic. _

Deciding no more harm could be done, he smiled brightly at them which only caused them to gulp in fear as he clambered into the carriage with a few 5th year Hufflepuffs who immediately started talking together in hushed tones while throwing glares at him occasionally.

At the entrance hall he saw Professor McGonagall waiting for the first years as she parted the way for them to pass. As soon as she saw him a smile appeared on her face which unnerved him slightly and for one mad moment, thought he'd done something wrong and was going to be handed detention before the school term had even started. She did have a way of making anyone feel they'd done something wrong.

"Well done indeed Mr. Potter." She murmured softly as he passed her.

Inside the Great hall his eyes immediately jumped to the staff table. There was Dumbledore, dressed in deep purple robes who's twinkling eyes came his way, nodding at him with a small smile before turning back to his conversation with the tiny charms professor. Snape as always in all his greasy glory except he seemed to be directing his venom at someone further along the staff table, someone that he'd never seen before.

His first thought was a giant toad. A toad dressed in something so pink that it seemed to emit its own light. On closer inspection it turned out to be a woman, although his earlier assessment wasn't too far off. Seeing as all the other chairs were filled except for professor McGonagall's, she could only be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

He immediately knew he was _not _going to learn anything useful from her and something about her disgusted him. Possibly even more than his dislike for Snape.

Sitting a few chairs down was professor Sinistra who upon catching sight of him, waved before flashing him a thumbs up making him chuckle before returning the gesture while the rest of the staff looked amused at the lack of formality. Toad woman on the other hand looked positively appalled and glared at her and him in turn.

He took his seat at the end of the Gryffindor table, ignoring the gaping stares as he did so. A few minutes later Neville dropped into the seat beside him, greeting him timidly to which he relaxed his face to a warm, genuine smile as he questioned the boy about his summer.

He also caught sight of Draco Malfoy who was deep in conversation with Pansy Parkinson and realized with a start that the tradition of him dropping into his compartment had been broken this year. That or the git hadn't been able to find him.

Soon the halls were filled and the group of first years were standing at the middle, looking around in fright and awe while professor McGonagall brought the sorting hat. Dumbledore as usual got to his feet, the same drill as before…welcoming the new students, old students – welcome back before allowing the sorting to commence.

To be honest, Harry didn't pay attention to anything at all as he switched himself off, trying to remember the runic alphabet from scratch. It wasn't too hard to do, blocking everything else out with a generous amount of help from the Occlumency training that had been drilled into him almost to perfection by Remus.

He found himself inwardly criticizing the Hogwarts food, smiling inwardly when he realized he was channeling Fleur as she had done so time and again last year. He could understand where she was coming from. Both of them were jaded from the food they had back in France.

He still did bring himself to pay attention when the headmaster got to his feet after the food was wiped clean from the plates.

"Another year at Hogwarts awaits you." He began, smiling benignly through his half moon spectacles as he surveyed the hall as if nothing was making him happier than to be here. "I'm sure you are all anxious to engage in another, and in some of your cases, a brand new year filled with so many things to learn and experience. Before that however there are a number of rules…" He knew all of those rules by heart and had probably broken all of them except for trying to sneak into the girls dormitory.

"We have a new faculty member to welcome into our ranks. May I introduce you to professor Dolores Jane Umbridge, the new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts." The applause was weak at best, but she didn't seem to be deterred.

"Hem-hem." The sound made the back of his skin crawl as they stared at the woman who was interrupting Dumbledore mid speech. It seemed she was getting ready for a speech.

He watched with muted interest as she stood up, an interest which dropped below zero and fuelled his disgust when he heard her sugary sweet voice. He didn't know how, but he had finally found a person that he hated more than Snape even before he'd met them face to face.

She went on and on, by the end of it from the faces of everyone the most they had managed to do was to stay awake, an accomplishment at best. But he could gather one thing from the garbage the toad woman spewed. She was the Ministry's informant who was here to keep an eye on Dumbledore and 'protect' the students from the 'absurdities'.

Finally Dumbledore was able to speak again and after giving out his announcements, introducing the new prefects – Ron and Hermione from Gryffindor, Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, Terry Boot and Padma Patil from Ravenclaw and finally Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson from Slytherin.

He had been wondering, and hoping against hope that this wouldn't come up but it did.

"I also have a special announcement to make. Academic achievements for us are few and far between, however it is my greatest pleasure to announce that two of our own students took their O.W.L examination this summer an year early and both have managed to place themselves among the highest rankings in world for this year's results."

His ears pricked up at this when he heard the part about 'two students'. It didn't take long as something clicked into place as he snapped his head up, directly towards the Slytherin house table just as Daphne met his gaze with a sly smile.

"So let us give a big hand for Miss Daphne Greengrass of Slytherin and Mr. Harry Potter of Gryffindor. Both of who have achieved their O.W.L's and made their mark among the most brilliant minds of their generation." The applause that followed was only just above what Umbridge had gotten. Between the deranged boy who lived and the Ice Queen of Slytherin, it wasn't like they were expecting much. The hall seemed to be stunned into silence as they were trying to process what they'd just heard.

"That's all for today, off to bed then…pip pip!"

* * *

**AN: Finally. I had a few issues I had to deal with which is why this chapter took so long to come out. To top it off the new term in college started off last Monday so yeah…I haven't abandoned this so don't worry.**

**I must confess, I hate…absolutely hate this chapter. It was honestly a pain to write. I did not want to separate Harry and Fleur but for the sake of making the story at least a little believable I had to. **

**As most of you have guessed by now, I'm not too thrilled about having Harry in Hogwarts with Fleur back in France. He won't be here for too long. Besides, I don't like writing about their time apart and I do want to push this towards more interesting places now that the groundwork has –mostly- been laid out. **

**Mp3 player…really? Some of you may be asking that question. I simply couldn't get creative enough with the gifts. It's not meant to be taken seriously. **

**On a negative note, I'm sincerely tired of messages begging me to get Harry and Hermione back to being best friends or telling me how 'Harry would never do that!" or "Hermione never deserved that!". I've made changes to my notes at the end of chapter 1 to give the warning that Harry will change in character and etc for the new readers. Again, this message is only for the select few of you who like to bother me via PM about this. It gets annoying. **

**I've said this time and again. If you want more canon like things, (example – Harry being more lucky than skilled, Hermione and Ron his sidekicks for life) this is NOT a story you should be reading. **

**Yep, got everything I wanted to say. Till next time then peeps. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry 'bout the gap between updates. Explanation later. Aaand don't let me forget to thank all who have reviewed, faved 'n followed.**

**Warning! Looong author's note coming up at the bottom. Sincerely sorry about it.**

**Don't worry though, word count excluding my notes still reached just above my minimum word count I have set for myself. Which is quite a lot. **

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 21**

Harry's eyes snapped open as he stared up at the roof of his four poster bed, his heart hammering against his ribs painfully.

It took a long time to convince himself to calm down as his hand instinctively felt for Fleur at his side, his panic mounting when he felt no one there before he remembered that she was miles away in France.

His hands were shaking as he pulled himself up to a sitting position, leaning against the wall and pulling his legs up to his waist as he locked his arms firmly around them. Taking deep, steadying breaths he forced himself to calm down, trying to get rid of the haunting images in his mind.

It was only the second day since he'd arrived in Hogwarts and already he was slipping back to his old nightmares which had returned with a vengeance. The moment he closed his eyes, he was plagued by images of the night of the third task; Fleur's body, the look of shock on the death eater's face he killed, Voldemort, his mother…it was like a sickening movie that was lying in wait to play every time he surrendered himself to sleep.

Reaching over the bedside table he glanced at his watch and groaned. It was still 3 in the morning but it wasn't like he could roll over and expect to go back to sleep.

After quietly getting changed into normal clothes and stowing his school robes into his bag along with the diary Fleur had given him, he hesitated for a moment before taking the framed photo of her and putting it inside his bag along with the rest of his things after gazing longingly at it for a few seconds. He didn't want to leave _any_ of his things out where anyone could get to them.

Professor McGonagall made it clear that although he was now a 6th year for all purposes, he was still going to share the dorms with the 5th years since they were assigned by age. Seeing as he'd only turned 15 he didn't fall in with the other 6th years age wise.

When he'd reached the Gryffindor common room after the welcoming feast it was clear that their treatment of him was no different than the rest of the school who thought he was mad and dangerous. At the dorms Seamus and Dean had been conversing quite loudly about how they didn't believe that he could have achieved his O.W.L's so soon and how they believed it was a plan by the ministry to remove him from Hogwarts as soon as possible for the safety of the other students.

He quietly crept out of the dormitory, going down the spiraling staircase into the common room. The Fat Lady spotted him and without a word swung open to let him out. She already knew from her experiences with him from last year that he hardly spent time inside the Gryffindor tower and it heartened him that she promised to not tell Professor McGonagall about his wanderings.

"Don't get caught." She said warningly after he'd climbed out of the portrait hole as she swung herself shut again.

He smiled slightly before giving her a mock salute making her chuckle.

"Go on then, Filch is due in this corridor any moment now." Slipping on his cloak he beat down the familiar path as he'd done so many times last year out to the grounds.

The first day of lessons wasn't bad. It only consisted of Charms and Ancient Runes, both of which he had with Daphne. Katie was the only 6th year female he knew and she had been thrilled to find him in class with her but was wary of Daphne unsurprisingly. Even after introductions were made it was clear that neither of them wanted a lot to do with each other.

He wasn't fazed by the glares he was getting from the class which consisted of the 6th year Gryffindors and Slytherins. He didn't even know the 6th year Gryffindors at all. The only few he vaguely recognized from his past few years in Hogwarts was a tall blonde, heavyset boy who he'd seen during past Quidditch tryouts and two girls that he'd seen constantly around Katie.

It was rather amusing to see how the two houses which had been deemed to be the polar opposites of each other were so strikingly similar in their mistrust of him. Daphne herself was facing the wrath of her housemates because of her closeness to him but she remained as unresponsive as him to them.

Then again, Daphne Greengrass hardly ever cared about what anyone else thought of her.

She explained that her father had advised her to get a move on with her education which had made her submit her request to Snape if she could take the O.W.L's. and had started preparing for them around the same time Professor McGonagall had given him the proposition. It seemed her family wanted to pull out of Britain and she hinted that she probably will not be coming back to complete her 7th and final year at Hogwarts.

He chuckled as he remembered the look on her face when he told her he'd gotten a perfect score for his DADA exam. Her results were strikingly similar to his and she too had her places at the top 10 in Astronomy and Charms. She did rub it in his face that she'd beaten him at History of Magic though. He had no idea how anyone could have been attentive enough at Binn's class to achieve an 'O'.

He slipped off his cloak as soon as he was outside of the castle. The moon was nowhere to be seen and he could tell the sky was not as pitch black as it normally was, signaling the coming of the dawn although there were quite a few stars scattered across it.

Reaching his 'spot' near the lake he stood there a few moments as he remembered with a pang the number of times he'd sat here with Fleur and the others.

He missed them. He missed _her. _It had only been two days…two measly days since he'd left but already it felt as if he hadn't seen Fleur in years. He could never put to words what he was feeling. The empty feeling in him never left him. He couldn't help thinking about her even if it was painful. He didn't feel like himself anymore, he felt incomplete.

He slumped down to the ground and pulled out the diary she had given him. He'd spent more than half of last night writing to her.

A ghost of a smile played across his lips when he went over what Fleur had written last night. She had already started her apprenticeship and she had scribbled out her whole day without leaving anything out ranging from how much she liked her mentor to how much she hated her peers. As she described it, it was no different than how it was for her in Beauxbatons.

These words, her handwriting, it offered only a small comfort but he was willing to take whatever he could get to stay connected to her. Their longing to see each other was etched clearly in their words. They shared the burden; all they could do was gather what small reassurances they could from what they wrote.

But there was something that was helping both of them. Whenever he thought about her or whenever he was writing to her, it was like she was right there with him. It felt as if at times the empty feeling in him disappeared. The same warmth he felt when he was in her arms, the same feelings it evoked; the feeling of peace, protectiveness and love…It was as if he could feel what she was.

They had been surprised at it initially as she had asked if he'd felt it too. Once they'd established that it was mutual they hadn't questioned it. He didn't know if it was because of the bond, their necklaces or something else entirely but he was thankful for it. It was a constant reassurance to him that she was not completely torn away from him.

He sighed before closing the diary. Even though time was an hour faster in France than where he was, he didn't want to wake her. She always had to leave early in the morning, at about 7am to be exact and she never got back until 8 at night.

Absentmindedly twirling his wand between his fingers which, much to his amusement kept shooting out blue and pink stars for some reason he turned his gaze to the lake where he could just make out what could be a tentacle at the middle of it.

He would be going back to France on Christmas no matter what Dumbledore would say.

What he didn't know was whether or not he could turn away from her a second time. Could he come back to Hogwarts, leaving her behind for a second time? He knew he couldn't. No, it was more like he wouldn't. He hoped whatever Sirius was trying to do was going well.

Far too soon for his liking it was time to head back into the castle and he wearily trudged back. It was promising to be a rather stormy day as the tell tale dark clouds gathered in the sky wiping out almost everything that said 'early morning'. Rain was probably not far in coming.

Entering the Great Hall he was surprised to find that most of the students were already having breakfast. _The first few days of a new term, everyone wants to make a good impression _he mused, smirking when he saw Ron who was gazing at his reflection on a spoon and tousling his hair. Even as he watched he carefully flicked a speck of dust off his badge before starting to eat in a much more conservative way than was expected of him.

Ron seemed to have had a brief moment where he felt superior to him with him becoming a prefect. It wasn't that hard to figure out with the superior and condescending tone he'd used with him back in the train. But the announcement that he was going to be a 6th year seemed to have struck a blow against him and everyone else for that matter…much like how he'd become a champion in the tournament last year.

He'd been unsurprised therefore when he'd seen him, Seamus and Dean muttering mutinously and casting dark looks at him the whole of last evening when he'd made the mistake of trying to spend the afternoon in the common room.

He was slightly amused that some of the Ravenclaws who he'd been on friendly terms with were no better than the others. True, it could be for the same reasons as why the rest of the school hated him about being a deranged liar and all that but it wasn't hard to spot their resentment.

He didn't know what to think about Hermione. She'd stopped trying to speak to him altogether. Yesterday it was her who handed him his schedule written by Professor McGonagall. As soon as she'd given it to him she'd left without another word after a stiff goodbye which had caused him to raise an eyebrow.

At this point he'd stopped caring altogether. Yes, he'd known all along how much it would hurt her pride. She enjoyed being at the top of the year each time in the previous years. Having not only him who she'd been constantly nagging ever since first year to study and scolding him for trying to copy her homework beat her at her own game, but Daphne surpass her too was probably a bit more than she could take.

The way he could see it, she was a bit more similar to Ron in more ways than he'd given her credit for. Maybe it had been there all the time but she'd never been challenged enough to draw out that side of her back then.

Sitting down at the end of the Gryffindor table with a couple of second years who stared at him fearfully as he reached over to grab some toast before pausing and looking at them. He jerked his head questioningly before a sneer stretched on his lips when they hurriedly vacated their seats.

Shrugging he turned to eat, angrily repressing the pang of loneliness he felt when he realized he was sitting on his own. Forcing himself to not let his thoughts drift to Fleur again he concentrated on finishing off his food.

It really felt like he had only Daphne he could call a friend now. Of course his Quidditch teammates fell into that category being among the few people who still believed him to be sane and genuinely liked him as a friend. As good as they were, he didn't really fit in with them as he did with Daphne or the French witches.

A small smile appeared on his face when he remembered Fleur teasing him about how his friends were all turning out to be girls which, in her opinion, was due to his feminine characteristics, something which Sirius vehemently agreed about and kept moaning about how he was the male version of Lily and something about failing to keep his promise to Prongs.

"Stop thinking about your girlfriend for once and finish eating." A familiar voice came from his right making his smile widen.

"'Morning Daphne." She stole a piece of his toast before taking a seat beside him, completely oblivious to the looks of utter shock thrown their way.

"Honestly Potter do you have any idea how stupid you look with that goofy grin on you? Don't try to deny it..." She added when he opened his mouth in protest. "I've seen that look on your face before and you always had it whenever she was with you."

"Did not."

"Did too." He stared at her for a few seconds.

"I do not look goofy." He grumbled under his breath before turning back to his plate.

"Do too."

"Do not."

"You have a one track mind." She sighed. He chuckled before turning to look at her, feeling a lot more cheerful than before.

"Thanks. For the wakeup call." He added when she looked confused.

"Don't let it go into your head."

"Oh you know you like me." He said with an arrogant smirk.

"Do not." He raised an eyebrow at her making her laugh. "Alright alright just hurry up, we have 10 minutes before Potions."

* * *

"Let me first express my surprise at seeing so many of you here. I had been under the impression that what I'd been teaching had been going through one ear and out the other." Snape began quietly once he'd taken his place at the front of the now silent classroom. Harry rolled his eyes before peeking inside a cauldron full of what seemed like water.

The class consisted of Gryffindors, Slytherins and Ravenclaws although even with the three houses put together the grand total came up to 12 students counting himself and Daphne. It was still a pitifully small number but seeing as Snape didn't accept anyone with less than an 'O' to his class, it was probably within reason.

"There will be no more fooling around. Any mistakes will cost you your place here. Potions learnt at this level require rather valuable ingredients and I will not have you depleting the stocks because of your…incompetence." Snape's gaze swept the room before finally coming to rest on Harry's.

"Mr. Mullen!" He suddenly called.

"Sir?" A tall raven haired boy spoke. Harry could safely say he'd never noticed more than half the people in the classroom at Hogwarts. Ever.

"What would you get if you added a shred of Boomslang skin to the contents of that cauldron over there and stirred it counter clockwise for 3 minutes?"

"An ageing potion."

"Miss Collins, essence of dittany and powdered bicorn horn left to shimmer for two months and adding lacewing flies once every two weeks."

"Erm…" The blonde Ravenclaw faltered and she looked slightly panicked. "A strengthening solution?"

"Is that an answer or a question." She remained silent before Snape looked away without saying anything.

"Potter! Monkshood, dried nettles and knotgrass are the core ingredients for which potion?" Harry's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Essence of wolfsbane." Leave it to Snape to ask him about a potion coming up much later in the 6th year. Some things never change.

"It's effects Miss Rose?" He was surprised that the question was directed to someone else. From the silence it was apparent she didn't know the answer but again Snape merely ignored it. "That particular potion is given to anyone suffering from Lycanthropy. It will allow the person to keep their minds during the night of the full moon and thus reduce the chances of causing harm to themselves or anyone around them."

The rest of the lesson passed by without much incident. As always he put up the instructions on the board for a Blood replenishing potion and proceeded to breathe down everyone's necks while they worked on it.

He was surprised that Snape was acting less like the git he normally was.

It wasn't just because the potions master didn't pick on him alone as he used to, but he generally didn't make patronizing comments about the works of anyone outside of Slytherin although the favoritism was still there by the way that he only awarded points to students from Slytherin. Both he and Daphne managed to get the desired end result and labeled their names onto flasks before leaving it at the front desk.

"Potter stay behind for a moment." He had been packing his things and looked up in surprise. Daphne shrugged before jerking her head towards the door indicating she'd wait for him outside.

He walked up to the front where Snape was seated at his desk, rifling through the pages of an extremely old book. Neither of them spoke until the room was completely empty.

"Do you have a need for the potion we discussed about at the beginning of the lesson?" He was taken aback at the question.

"No sir…" He paused, trying to decide what to say. He didn't know how much Snape knew about his 'condition'. "It doesn't affect me that way."

"Very well." With that silence fell again. "You may leave."

He turned to leave but hesitated. "Thank you." He murmured quietly, surprising himself before turning and heading towards the door without a backward glance.

Daphne looked at him inquiringly as he came out. "What happened?" She asked as they slowly began climbing up the steps out of the dungeons.

"I…don't really know." She raised an eyebrow at him but let it go. He could tell she wasn't satisfied with his answer but he was glad that she didn't nag him about it.

"Snape did seem a little…different today though." She said thoughtfully.

"Yeah…it's almost like…"

"He's not acting too much like a git anymore?" She supplied with a grin.

"Read my mind." She chuckled as they came out to the rather gloomy Great Hall, the sound of heavy rain outside becoming apparent. "Defense Against the Dark Arts with Umbridge…I'm really not looking forward to that."

"Do you know anything about her?" He asked as they started up the revolving staircase.

"Met her a few years ago when I went to the Ministry with my father for something. Didn't like her then, don't like her now. She has it in for non humans and she's tried leading dozens of campaigns against werewolves, merpeople and….the likes." She added, catching sight of the dangerous glint that appeared on his eyes.

"Knew I didn't like that woman from the moment I saw her." He said quietly. It was because of people like her that Fleur was seen as something less than human here.

Soon they reached the classroom and took their seats at the back after greeting Katie. Before long the door burst open again and for probably the hundredth time his mind immediately thought about a fat toad when he saw her.

"That cardigan..." Daphne muttered under her breath making him smirk slightly as they watched the pink…lump turn around to face the classroom.

"Good morning class." Her sugary sweet voice had him wishing he could jam his earphones back and crank the volume up to maximum. There were a few mumbles of 'good morning's' but that didn't seem to be enough for her. "Let's try this again shall we? I want to hear 'good morning professor Umbridge' nice and loud this time. Good morning class."

"Good morning professor Umbridge." They chanted back

"That wasn't so hard was it?" She asked with a wide smile. "Now please take out your textbooks and start reading up to chapter 3." Then without a word she sank down to the chair behind the desk leaving them to stare dumbfounded at one another.

"She honestly expects us to read this?" Daphne growled, eyeing her book with distaste. It was a book on magical theory written by a L.R Slinkhard. Harry hadn't even touched the book since he'd bought it and it still had the binding on it. The picture at the front was enough to turn him off - a bunch of children flying on broomsticks with their wands in their hands.

"Have you…? Read this I mean?" She turned to look at him incredulously before noticing that his book was still sealed shut.

"Barely got past the first page. This is the sort of books children use to learn magical theory before they start their training."

"Figures."

"That's quite enough talking back there." Umbridge's simpering voice called making him repress a shudder.

A few minutes later he was blankly staring off into space, his thoughts reverted back to a silver haired witch. Daphne was no better, in fact it seemed like she was drifting off to sleep.

The worst part was, it was barely only 15 minutes into the 'lesson'.

All around them the people were in a similar stupor except for one or two who were actually reading. Katie who was sitting two seats in front of them had her face buried in her arms and he could see her friend desperately poking her.

Another agonizing half hour later Harry was shaken from his stupor although it was after some rather painful amount of poking from Daphne. He was rather annoyed at her for interrupting his more than pleasant daydreaming but she nodded her head towards the front of the class where a sandy haired Gryffindor had his hand up and was staring intently at Umbridge who still hadn't looked up at all.

Before long everyone was staring at the boy. Try as Umbridge might, she couldn't keep ignoring him as he could see her eyes flickering to the boy in question every now and then before looking back down at the book she was so interested in. Finally…

"Yes Mr. Derwent?" She asked sweetly.

"What's the point of this book?" He asked bluntly making her eyebrows rise. Harry was rather taken aback but felt his respect for him rise.

"I'm afraid I don't understand the question." Her voice lost some of its sugary sweetness.

"I mean why are reading this book especially when our N.E.W.T's are coming up next year? This is behind the stuff we did last year and there's nothing in here about using defensive spells."

"_Using _defensive spells?" She laughed. "Why ever would you want to that? Do you expect to be attacked at any time?"

"But isn't that the whole point of this class?" Katie piped up.

"If you have anything to say Miss Bell you need to raise your hand." She said with a smile before turning away from her. "In answer to your other question Mr. Derwent, the Ministry feels the syllabus could do with a few changes. Yes Mr. Mullen?"

"Just like Katie said, isn't using magic to defend ourselves against the dark arts the whole point of this class?"

"I'll ask again, who would want to attack any of you? You are all schoolchildren and these are times of peace."

"But…"

"_Hand _Miss Smith." The curly haired Slytherin raised her hand with a scowl but Umbridge promptly turned away. "This is not the first class that has had the same…fears of being attacked. Too many of you think that there is a need to defend yourselves. _What _is there to defend against?" She gave a long dramatic sigh before standing up and coming around to the front of the desk.

"You have all been informed that he who must not be named has returned. That. Is. A. Lie. The ministry's interest in Hogwarts is to protect you all from believing in things that aren't real. After all you are the next generation of our world, we can't have you all coming into the world misinformed." Her gaze shifted straight to Harry who stared back lazily. "This is damaging is it not Mr. Potter? You see how your words have affected everyone?"

"But he never…" Katie began.

"Hand Miss Bell if you ever want to speak in my class…" She sang under her breath. "As I was saying, it would be so much easier if you would admit the truth. How about it Mr. Potter? You would be doing everyone a great service."

Harry titled his head slightly as he looked at the woman with distaste. After a split second he raised his hand.

"You may speak Mr. Potter." She nodded approvingly, her lips curling to an ugly smile.

"Is anything about this mentioned in the three chapters you asked us to read? Because I'm err…a little confused." Her smile faltered before disappearing to be replaced by a very ugly look. Daphne's head was turned down but he could almost see the grin she had on her face and at the front he could see Katie's and a few other student's shoulders shaking from silent laughter. After what felt like hours she answered.

"I don't think so Mr. Potter." He smiled politely before sinking back to his stupor with his eyes fixed on the first few letters on page 1.

Nothing more was said for the entire duration of the lesson and finally when it was over she dismissed them although notably without the sweetness in her voice.

"Mr. Potter I need to speak to you for a moment." He groaned while Daphne chuckled.

"What's with everyone asking me to stay behind after class." He muttered under his breath as he put away his things.

"Comes with being Harry Potter I guess." Daphne said with a grin and patted his arm consolingly. "I've got Arithmancy next…see you later." He nodded and slinging his bag on his shoulder he moved to the front.

"Mr. Potter I understand that you were not at your home for the duration of your summer?" She asked airily. He pondered the question before answering.

"Yes."

"May I inquire as to where you were?" Again he didn't give an answer immediately.

"I'm afraid not."

"Mr. Potter when a teacher asks you a question you are supposed to answer. Now where were you?"

"I will answer any question you have regarding this class. I don't see how my whereabouts are any concern of yours." He said tonelessly.

"It is for your own safety Mr. Potter." Here a smirk appeared on his face.

"But professor, I thought there was nothing waiting out there to attack me." She glared at him and he felt just the slightest invasion, a tiny prick trying to get into his mind.

He smiled back and waited, trying not to let the sudden surge of anger he felt not show in his face as he allowed the thorn to slip a little bit further in before snapping it viciously. She uttered a small cry and clutched her head painfully. To his satisfaction he could see tears in her eyes.

"Are you alright professor? Should I call Madam Promfey?" He asked in mock concern.

"N-no…just a headache."

"If you're sure." He said with exaggerated care. "May I take my leave then professor?" She nodded without looking up. "Thank you." With that he turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Life at Hogwarts wasn't too difficult to get adjusted to despite the hostile and somewhat lonely environment. Daphne being in Slytherin did limit their time together. Besides she had to spend time with Tracey too who as she informed him, was getting rather jealous that she was spending more time with him than her.

His schoolwork was once again impressing the professors which wasn't surprising. Seeing as he was alone for most of his free time, he took it to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. He no longer needed permission to access the restricted section of the library anymore and he was putting it to the most use he could.

The books he'd gotten from Remus and Fleur in addition to a few he'd bought that caught his eye while in 'L'autre rue' were proving to be far more challenging than anything he'd come across in the previous year but the rewards for mastering it was something else entirely. Each time he mastered something new had him smirking as he imagined the possibilities. Sirius wouldn't know what hit him if they dueled again.

He had to endure the pain of a full moon too though. It was out of question for him to stay in the dorms that night, not like he ever stayed there anymore. He spent his nights in the grounds or the room of requirement where he had trained with Sirius and Remus. None of his roommates were concerned about it, as far as he knew, Seamus was glad that he wasn't in the same room as him anymore.

The night of the full moon had him running around in panic. He had tried to get into the room of requirement but found that it wasn't responding to his summons. In complete panic he had fled to the Astronomy tower which had been mercifully empty. After securely locking the door the door and placing a silencing charm over it he'd covered up in the corner, waiting for the inevitable agony. After it was over he'd decided to just spend the night there, writing to Fleur who had been sending frantic messages again and again to his diary in her worry.

Umbridge was starting to get on his nerves. She always seemed to try and get a rise out of him in every class. He hated the hints she kept dropping, the taunting way she spoke about the 'lies that he-who-must-not-be-named has returned'. He knew she was trying to get him to react but he always controlled his emotions, keeping his face blank and fighting down the urge to curse her into oblivion.

Snape was on the opposite side of the spectrum. He was immensely surprised that the potions master had stopped singling him out. Sure, he still treated anyone not from Slytherin like dirt under his shoe but this time it seemed he was included in that group. He wasn't someone set aside on a pedestal for him to direct his venom at anymore. He was almost beginning to gain a shred of respect for the man.

Quidditch season had started and it brought along the Keeper tryouts. Angelina had insisted that everyone try out for the position, even those already on the team.

Ron was part of the hopefuls who were looking to get added to the team. It seemed Mrs. Weasley had actually managed to procure him a broom despite Sirius refusing to lend her money. As it turned out she had managed to get him the latest broom of the Cleensweep series which was in league with the Nimbus 2001.

The twins were still stuck with their old brooms and it wasn't hard to see that both of them were resentful towards their brother for getting a broom, but as they said, their mother would do anything for her 'ickle prefectkins'.

Of course, everyone's jaws had dropped to the floor when Harry finally produced his broom. Ron's scowl was rather ugly but the twins and the girls were ecstatic that their Seeker was going to be near unbeatable.

His new Firebolt had taken him a while to get used to. The speed and the _extremely _sharp turns were enough to scare anyone away from their desire to try it out. He had almost crashed into the stands on the opposite end when he'd first taken to the air, something that the twins couldn't stop laughing about.

For the Keeper tryouts they decided to hold a competition where each person would try to block shots from the chasers, best out of 5. The results were disappointing.

Of the newcomers only Ron managed to score the most and even then he only managed to block 2 out of 5. One of the shots he blocked, he swore he had meant to do it but almost everyone had the suspicion that it was nothing more than a fluke.

Angelina had been at a loss of what to do. Herself, Katie and Alicia had all managed to block 4,3, and 4 respectively. Fred and George and both managed to block 4 shots apiece. Harry had managed to block 4 despite this being the first time he'd ever taken his place in front of the goalposts.

In the end she had decided, albeit reluctantly to admit Ron to the team as he was the only one who held at least some promise out of the rest who had shown up. Each and everyone on the original team had shown they would be better Keepers than him but it wasn't like any of them could be replaced. They had the best chasers, beaters and seeker out of all the houses.

* * *

Fleur leaned back on her chair in satisfaction before nodding. _"That should reverse the damage the spell caused. But you should be careful for the next few days and try not to exert yourself." _

"_Thank you." _The man said gratefully, gingerly moving his leg up and down. When he'd come in his leg had been covered in green scales which had made it impossible for him to walk properly or painlessly. Someone's idea of a prank which seemed to have gone wrong and to her amusement, he refused to say who cast it.

"_No problem." _She got up to leave.

"_Erm…Miss Delacour? If you aren't doing anything later this…" _She turned to look at him, her eyes hardening. The man blushed slightly. He was not unattractive, anyone could see that and he was one of the few who didn't have the lust filled eyes she'd come to expect from men. But…

"_I'm sorry but I'm spoken for." _Without another word she left.

It was the same thing over and over again ever since she'd started working here. Any man young or old thought it was a waste of potential if they didn't try to ask her out or hit on her at some point.

She detested it. The more it happened, the more she felt her disgust rise and in some ways she felt like she was being faithless to Harry even though she never give any of them a second thought or that she couldn't help catching their eye.

It had been almost a month now since she'd let Harry go at King's cross and still not a day went by without her wishing she could see him again. If anything, her need to see him only kept increasing as the days went by. The empty feeling she always carried around with her still pained her and she knew it was not going to stop anytime soon.

At this point she was merely enduring each day. He was enduring each day. She hated the fact that she had her parents and Gabrielle; people who knew exactly what she was going through that comforted her while he didn't have any of that. She knew he was feeling the negative effects of being away from her far more than she was despite her being the Veela.

It was _her_ heritage that was binding him to her and although it was done willingly by both of them, she didn't think it was fair that she could cope with it better than he could.

"_Anymore?" _She asked her new friend Colette tiredly. She was from a private Magical Academy somewhere else in France who was now completing her internship here just like her.

"_No more for now. You can unwind." _She smiled back before dropping into one of the chairs with a moan of relief. She had been on her feet for 3 hours straight after all. _"The record's unbroken I take it?" _She looked at her exasperatedly making the brunette laugh. _"Thought so…but he wasn't as bad as the last few." _

"_That's may be true but I wish they'd stop." _Colette laughed.

"_What would he do if he knew about them?" _A smile tugged on her lips as her eyes softened at the mention of her raven haired wizard.

"'_A__rry?" _She laughed. _"He'd probably scare them away and spend the next few minutes being moody…at least until I can cheer him up." _

"_You sound like it's happened before."_

"_When he was here I took him to the market to buy some things for mother…" _and she recounted the time when she'd first found out that Harry could speak French.

Before she knew it, she was recounting the times they'd spent together in France from the beginning till the end. By the end of it Colette's cooing was enough to have her cheeks tinted red.

"_Aww you're properly smitten with him aren't you?" _

"_Aren't you the same too? What about your mystery man hmm?" _This caused the brunette to blush in turn and the rest of the afternoon was spent with them teasing each other about their men.

Finally it was the end of yet another day. Thankfully she had only 3 more people assigned to her to treat. She also had to help healer Bonnel (the same woman who had interviewed her) 'patch' up a 38 year old woman who had lost her arm in a freak accident.

She still had reservations with blood but she was learning to toughen herself up. By the end of it the grateful look on the woman's face when they reattached the arm was rewarding enough.

After bidding Colette good bye she walked into the fireplace after throwing in a handful of floo powder. Since they were now working here they could use the floo network if they so desired. Many preferred apparition but she hated it almost as much as Harry does.

"_I'm home." _She called, brushing the soot and ashes from her clothes as she straightened up. The living room looked much less brighter than she could remember, the absence of Gabrielle and Alana in addition to Harry had left a noticeable void in their home. She knew if her parents weren't here she'd refuse point blank to stay alone.

"_In here flower." _Apolline's voice rang out and she followed it which led her to the dining tables where her mother was seated, deeply engrossed in a novel. _"How was your day?"_

"_Not too bad." _She sighed, sinking into a chair and thanking the house elf that brought her a glass of pumpkin juice. _"Had to reattach an arm." _She added as an afterthought, wrinkling her nose. It was amusing to see her mother had an identical expression on her face.

"_Still the same as ever with the general population?" _She looked up exasperatedly at the amused twinkle in her mother's eyes.

"_Yes…I'm still turning people down. They never seem to understand I don't want anything to do with them. We had two people that came back without any ailments and it turns out they came just to see me!" _She growled when her mother laughed. _"It's not funny!" _

"_I know I know. But it's just amusing to see how much it bothers you." _

"_It's because I never cared about it back then. Now I have 'Arry and I don't want anyone other than him near me." _She went quiet as she tried to find the right words and her mother's smile slid off as she looked concerned. _"It just feels wrong." _

"_If there's anyone that understands the situation you're going through, it's him." _Her mother said gently. _"You can't help it dear, especially now. Your magic is calling out to him, trying to find him. Anyone in the way of that is getting caught in the middle. That's why your allure is stronger than before." _

"_I know." _She sighed before gazing at the calendar. _"I wish he were here." _She murmured quietly, more to herself than to her mother but she caught on either way.

"_I do too. Without him our family feels incomplete no?" _She smiled and nodded. He was as much a part of her family as he was to her.

After dinner and a few conversations with her mother and father she was back upstairs to Harry's room. Ever since he'd left she'd moved all her things to the room they'd shared. She hated the idea of going back to her old room, the one in which she had slept alone.

She always wore one of his shirts to bed now. He had after all left more than half his clothes here seeing as he would be wearing his school robes for the most part of his time in Hogwarts. Apart from the shirts being big enough to reach just a little bit near her knees, she liked the smell which reminded her of him.

Grabbing her diary she quickly scribbled a message demanding him to respond to have his neat handwriting coming up just beneath hers. _At your service my flower. _A smile tugged on her lips, imagining his lopsided grin which she knew was firmly in place at this moment as she set a pillow comfortably against her back before proceeding to do what they did each day, spend hours writing to each other.

She had been trying to teach him to reach into their link and so far they had made some progress. Due to the fact that they were so far apart was making it difficult, but it was very rewarding. Both of them knew that they could feel each other's emotions and they were using it as a lifeline to satisfy the need for intimacy that writing wouldn't give.

Even though he never mentioned it, it wasn't hard for her to notice that he wasn't happy. How could he be? The whole school save Daphne and the others had turned their backs on him. She also knew about his nightmares. Even though he reassured her that they were gone she never believed it. As she'd told him countless times, he wasn't a very good liar.

She could sometimes see into them and it never ceased to scare her. The horrible images were too much for her. The first time she'd seen them she had been too scared to go back to sleep and needed her mother close by. She had heard him describe them once; the graveyard, his mother, the boggart. The descriptions itself were unnerving, seeing them was a whole other story.

What made it even worse was that she could feel his despair as they shared these visions. It was tearing him apart and the first time she'd felt it, her parents had to stop her from going to Hogwarts to take him back.

She never told him that she had seen his nightmares. Despite how close they were, it was like a major intrusion to his privacy.

However, there were a few things she had seen that raised questions; she had seen glimpses of a tall, dark and hooded figure that seemed to be looking right at her. She also had glimpses of a grayish white tree along with jumbles of other images containing a man with a cord around his neck, three men laughing together as they strode through a dense forest and a woman that looked a lot like a Veela lying on the ground, unmistakably dead with a dagger protruding from her chest.

She had stopped seeing anything as of late which meant that he'd probably given up sleeping altogether. There was nothing she could do. Even though she didn't like it, she couldn't demand him to face them again.

When she got him back she would make sure to keep them at bay. For now, all she could do was hope for the best and wish that the time remaining for them to be reunited would slip by quickly and painlessly.

As she learned a few days later, she was foolish to think it would be so painless.

* * *

_(A few days ago, Hogwarts)_

"Halloween ball?" Harry turned to look at Daphne with a raised eyebrow.

"Mhm…so many people liked the Yule Ball so much last year that they had sent pleas to Dumbledore to hold something like that again." She explained as she propped herself up more comfortably against the tree. They were outside, sitting at the same spot where she had first met him during the second year. All of their lessons were over for the day and seeing as both of them hated being in their respective common rooms, they chose this as the alternative.

It was this or the library. Madam Pince however was ticked off with them for some reason and they agreed that it would be unwise to…add fuel to the fire as one would say so they were taking a temporary self imposed exile from the library.

He gazed blankly out at the lake. "It won't be the same." He murmured quietly more to himself but she heard him.

"So I guess it'd be foolish to ask you to escort me to it?" She asked softly and he looked at her in shock. "What? If I'm going it might as well be with a friend."

He smiled before scratching the back of his head. "I really do appreciate you asking, but I wanted to avoid going to it altogether." She nodded but he could see the hurt look in her eyes. "Please Daphne it's not…I mean I just don't want to be there with everyone else and…" He trailed off, wondering if he'd said too much but she looked curious.

"What?" She asked before her eyes widened in understanding. "If it's about Fleur you don't have to worry abo…"

"No…of course not. She wouldn't have any problem with it." Of that though he wasn't too sure, then again he didn'tlike going to a dance with anyone other than Fleur…even if it was Daphne who was one of his best friends. But that wasn't the main reason he wanted to avoid it.

Halloween always brought out his worst memories. It had been going on since he could remember and ever since the day he'd learnt that it was on Halloween that Voldemort had attacked, those memories had only worsened and developed in detail.

After debating silently whether or not he should mention it, he decided to just go with it. She deserved a reason after all.

"Halloween is a bad night for me." He said quietly. It was true, each year he felt the raw feeling of loss buried deep inside him resurface on the 31st. She looked confused before a look of shock appeared on her face.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. He shook his head.

"It's alright." Silence fell over them and after a few moments he spoke, trying to steer the conversation out of the direction it was going. "So who are you going to take then? I can't be the only decent male left." The last part he added with a small grin making her roll her eyes at him.

"Over confident much? God Potter you've become more irritating than last year." He shrugged but he could see the amusement in her eyes. She looked thoughtful before adding, "No, I don't think I'll be attending it either. I don't like or trust any of the boys from my house enough to go to the ball with. They'd think it's an invitation for them to indulge in their stupid little fantasies. People outside of Slytherin don't want anything to do us so…actually…come to think of it, there _is _no one I want to go to a dance with."

"Except me." He chimed making her punch his shoulder lightly.

"Prat. Do you want me to treat you like the others?"

"No ma'am."

"Then behave."

He sighed and nodded making her smile at the chastised look he got on his face. "Who'd you go to the Yule ball with?"

"Hmm…someone called Dimitri from Durmstrang. He wasn't too bad…oh well." She sighed before glaring at him. "You now owe me a dance." He smiled back, glad that she had perked up.

"You aren't the first person to make that demand of me. Alright it's a deal." She held out her hand expectantly and after a small chuckle he took it, sealing his fate. "You know Fleur has told me about how much you like dancing?" She asked innocently making him groan. "I just might come to France to make good on this deal."

He groaned, he should have known his feminine characteristics were the main point of discussion between her and Fleur.

* * *

It was the 28th of October and the general excitement of the upcoming ball had the school abuzz with excitement. Girls giggling in corners as boys passed them, boys being pushed by their friends towards groups of girls as they tried to ask one of them out. Since the ball would be open to anyone 2nd year and above, the whole school was getting into it.

Harry for once was glad of all the hate that was directed towards him. He didn't have to deal with girls he'd never seen before coming to ask him to be their date. But as it was, there were still some that had dreamy looks on their faces as he passed them. Fred and George had brought it to his attention that while he may be unpopular, that unpopularity seemed to have made him more alluring to some. He honestly had no idea how the minds of the people here worked.

He just entered the Gryffindor tower and was going to go upstairs to get his Ancient Runes books from his trunk when he was stopped by Ginny who was holding a box.

"Hey Harry!" He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering why she was talking to him now.

"Yeah?" Her face fell at his toneless voice but it perked back.

"Nothing…just wanted to know how you were doing. I haven't seen you around in ages." She said softly, lowering her eyes.

"I'm fine thanks. You?" He asked a bit more kindly. She blushed slightly before smiling.

"Same, err you going somewhere?" He felt a twinge of annoyance but fought it down.

"Yes."

"Oh. See you later then." He nodded and he turned to leave before she suddenly asked again, "Do you want a piece?" She asked, taking the lid off and showing the contents which turned out to be…chocolate cauldrons. "A friend gave it to me but I don't like it."

He rubbed his head tiredly before taking one. "Thanks." She smiled before moving away and he quickly walked towards the dormitories. After getting the books out he bit half of the sweet as he made his way back downstairs.

The instant he ate it, he immediately felt like he wanted to throw up. His shoulder, the point near his neck where Fleur had marked him burnt without warning and he lost his balance, tripping down the stairs causing some of the people who'd seen him to laugh.

Dazedly he pulled himself up before a whimper escaped his lips as he clutched his shoulder where the mark was practically burning now. Suddenly someone crouched down beside him, it was Ginny.

"Harry? You alright?" He gazed at her and suddenly he felt like he was staring at the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Her red hair looked like it had darkened and he found himself staring at her lips and he was seized by a sudden desire to find what they tasted like.

Almost as immediately as he'd gotten that thought he remembered someone else, a woman with silvery white hair. A woman with who he was hopelessly in love with. He pulled back sharply, banging his head against the wall with a sickening crunch making some of the onlookers wince at the sound. He felt his vision go blurry as pain took over his senses.

"I'm here Harry." A soft hand gripped his and he looked down to find Ginny holding his hand.

"You…" His voice shook. Her face, her eyes looked hopeful. But they were not the eyes he wanted to see. "You're _not _her." He whispered. Anger seeped through him and before he knew it, he was channeling it all at her and she gasped and backed away from him, clutching her hand which had been wrapped around his. It had angry red blisters all over it.

Again though he felt a sudden feeling of lust towards the redhead. Without warning, without a conscious thought he bashed his head against the wall and felt something wet trickle down his forehead. Not caring about it or anything else for that matter he shakily got up, ignoring the gasps as he did so, his eyes were narrowed as he glared at Ginny who was still on the floor in front of him.

"What did you do…to me?" He asked quietly. He took a step towards her and she suddenly looked afraid. More than afraid, terrified. "Why am I getting these fucked up thoughts in my head about you?"

"Harry…calm down." Someone stepped in front of him, in between him and her. He blinked. It was Fred…or was it George?

"Move." His voice was barely above a whisper but the malice in it was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

"You aren't thinking right mate, c'mon we need to get you to the Hospital Wing…then we can…"

"I said move." The air felt heavy, there was a grinding noise and the iron grate in front of the fireplace was bending itself over. The redhead in front of him pulled out his wand, he couldn't recognize who it was.

"Harry, back away." To the others he looked positively feral, his eyes, his prominent green eyes had turned a dark grey.

He stopped, his eyes caught sight of something on the floor. It was half of the chocolate cauldron he'd eaten. Something clicked in place in his mind and he backed away, sliding to the floor before pulling out his wand. He ignored whoever it was in front of him that advanced on him and pointed the tip of his wand at his throat before murmuring what he hoped were the correct words.

A few moments later he threw up causing everyone to back away hurriedly. The last thing he remembered was the burning pain in his shoulder.

* * *

"Move!" Professor McGonagall shouted as she ran towards the crowd, Neville right behind her. They parted to reveal Harry who was on the floor and she crouched down beside him, ignoring the unpleasant dark puddle on the floor. She felt for his hand before quickly getting up, conjuring a stretcher and floating him onto it. "You, bring his things." She snapped at Neville before moving.

She hadn't gone a few steps before a cry of pain caused her to turn back. "What is it?"

"His wand! It burned me!" Neville cried, pointing at the white and red wand on the floor.

"Find something to pick it up with then! And Mr. Weasley, bring your sister too."

* * *

An hour later they were all at the hospital wing. Harry was still unconscious but Poppy had assured them that he was going to be perfectly alright. Most of the damage had been done to him by himself and there was a bandage covering his forehead and the back of his head. Ron and Hermione were there too, next to Ginny with Fred and George. Katie and Alicia were sitting beside Harry's bed.

"Explain Miss Weasley." No one had ever seen professor McGonagall angry. Ginny sobbed but stayed quiet. "Fine, Miss Bell you were there right? What happened?" By the time Katie had finished explaining she looked absolutely livid.

Poppy who had just loosened the first few buttons on Harry's shirt suddenly muttered, "Minerva…" She turned to her before looking where she was pointing. Her eyes widened as she saw the bluish white wing imprinted on his skin, it was glowing slightly.

"I'm no expert on those things but that's probably why he had a violent reaction to the potion." Poppy said quietly.

"Where did you get the potion from Miss Weasley?" Her nostrils flared when Ginny wouldn't answer. "300 points from Gryffindor. You have detention for the next 3 months, the details of which you will receive tomorrow and you are banned from attending the Halloween ball. Any questions?" A painful silence fell before she nodded. "Good."

No sooner had she said it the doors burst open and instantly the room felt deprived of air as they stared at the silvery haired woman who walked in. There was a sharp intake of breath from everyone as they recognized her. The Veela from last year, the former Beauxbatons champion.

"Miss Delacour…" She began, seeing that the young woman looked beside herself with worry. Her clothes were ruffled, it looked like she'd run up here.

Fleur brushed past her as she quickly walked up to him, taking his limp hand tightly in hers before she glanced up at the matron worriedly.

"Nothing to worry about dear, he will be alright." Poppy said soothingly, answering her unasked question. "I've given him a sleeping draught, he'll be waking up soon." She looked unconvinced but nevertheless nodded. She didn't even notice the others in the room as she took the seat next to him that Katie had vacated in a hurry.

"Miss Delacour how did you…" Professor McGonagall started but stopped when she saw her place her fingers gently over the mark on his shoulder. Almost as soon as she'd done it his face visibly relaxed, looking more peaceful than before and it turned towards her hand, nuzzling into it unconsciously as a small smile graced her features. "You've marked him." It was a statement.

"Yes." She said simply. Hermione gasped audibly.

"I see…" She waited a few moments before turning to the others. "Return to the Gryffindor tower. Miss Delacour I'm afraid I can't…"

"Do you know what ze mark means?" Fleur asked, looking up at her, her voice hard. She was slightly taken aback, those icy blue eyes were unnerving.

"I do."

"Zen you will know we are bonded and zat your rules do not apply to us." She sighed before nodding.

"Will you be staying the night then?" She asked as the others slowly left the room.

"Oui, but I will be leaving first zing early morning."

"I will ask professor Dumbledore to arrange a portkey for you then."

"I will be grateful for zat Madame." She murmured before turning back to Harry. Professor McGonagall smiled slightly at the tender expression on her face as she gently stoked his cheek with her thumb. She had been a little worried after finding out they were bonded but seeing the affection the young woman held for him put her fears at ease.

"Very well, let me know when you are ready to leave." She had barely moved before Fleur spoke again.

"Before you leave, tell me what 'appened to 'im."

* * *

Harry slowly came to, becoming aware of the hand wrapped around his. He almost pushed it away on instinct as he remembered what had happened but there was something familiar about it and his eyes snapped open in shock and he sat bolt upright. "Fleur!"

He heard a gasp and within the next second her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her lithe form pressed against his.

He couldn't help it, a happy laugh escaped his lips as he hugged her tightly, reveling in the way he felt complete again. Literally. A genuine smile was firmly etched on his face as he buried it in soft hair, taking comfort in her unique scent.

"How…? When did you get here?" He asked after she let go of him. She grinned but he could see her eyes were watery.

"A few 'ours ago. 'Ow are you feeling?"

"Good. A lot better now." He said happily. He honestly felt like he was walking on air as he looked at her. For a moment he'd forgotten that they were in Hogwarts. She sighed before cupping his cheek and gently lifting the bandage on his head upwards a little which had been slipping near his eyes.

"You idiot. Eet's barely been a few months but you won't let me 'ave peace for longer zan zat would you?" She asked teasingly. He grinned in response before nuzzling into her hand making her smile.

"'Arry?" He looked around to find Apolline had just entered the room. "You 'ave to stop worrying us like zis. Fleur almost gave me a 'eart attack when she said somezing 'appened to you." He fixed his best innocent look on his face as she grinned before moving to take him in her embrace. _"You little rascal." _She murmured making Fleur laugh.

"How did you get here?" He asked as she moved away, taking a seat on the chair next to his bed while Fleur sat beside him, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Floo." She replied making him wrinkle his nose.

"I understand what you mean now when you say you 'ate ze floo." Apolline muttered. He nodded before tightening his hold on Fleur. Were they going to leave?

She seemed to have read his mind. "We will be leaving soon 'Arry." She said softly. "We can't stay 'ere."

"I know." He murmured quietly. It was as if reality had come crashing down on his shoulders at that instant. He half wished he hadn't seen them again, he couldn't stand to let her walk away again but he knew they had no choice. "Did you…do you know what happened to me?" He asked slowly, trying not to think about them leaving for now. He honestly couldn't rememeber much, all he could remember were flashes of memories; Ginny, an Ancient Runes book, chocolate and him throwing up. He flinched at the last part.

"Zat leetle putain…" She began.

"Language dear…" Apolline chided gently but she didn't seem to hear her.

"…she tried to give you a love potion." Her voice shook slightly. He buried his face in his hands making her look at him in worry before looking at her mother who stood up and left.

"I shouldn't have…" She growled, poking his chest hard.

"You didn't do anyzing so stop acting like eet's your fault." He fell silent before nodding.

"I'm sorry if I worried you." She smiled slightly before pecking his cheek, resting her lips there for a few moments. He closed his eyes, taking a sharp intake of breath as he did so. He had missed this…

"You 'urt yourself more zan zat poison did to you."

"I wasn't thinking…" She sighed before tracing his shoulder, just over his mark with her fingers.

"Eet burned?" He nodded, now that he was looking at it he could see that it was glowing slightly. She smiled before pulling the neck of her blouse down a little, showing him hers which was glowing just like his. "I told you 'Arry, once we're bonded nozzing will get in between us. If you just waited without doing anyzing all traces of ze Amortentia would 'ave been cleaned out of you."

"It scared me." He said quietly. "I didn't know what to do and I lost control. The things that were in my head about her...it felt like I was hurting you." She shook her head.

"Zere is no way you could 'urt me 'Arry." She kissed him again, this time over his left eye making him gasp as he felt her lips and her warm breath on him. "I know you more zan I know myself and I know you would never do anyzing to 'urt me."

"What if I did something." He asked in a wounded voice.

"What stopped you from doing anyzing?" She countered. "You were under ze effects of ze most powerful potion zat induces infatuation in ze world after all. What stopped you?"

"You…" He whispered after a few moments. She nodded before moving to kiss his other eye, enjoying the way he relaxed the moment her lips touched him.

"And why did you zink of me?" She asked quietly. He didn't answer for a while before he turned to look at her, his vibrant green eyes almost glowing and a small smile was on his lips.

"Because I love you." She moved closer, grazing his lips with hers.

"And I love you too Mr. Potter." She murmured before pressing her lips hard against his as he returned the kiss with equal passion. They felt complete, like everything was alright again.

"This feels like a dream." He said softly, pressing his head against hers after they parted.

"I know."

"You have to leave don't you?" He asked dejectedly. She refused to let the tears fall. She knew this would happen yet she came anyway. She knew it would be hard to leave him behind _again_ but she could never stay away from him when he needed her.

"Yes." She glanced at the bedside table where there were a small vial, a sleeping drought that Poppy had left behind, telling her to give it to him when he awoke. "Let zis be a good dream." She murmured, moving to kiss him again before picking up the vial and emptying it to a goblet beside him.

"Fleur…I..." He seemed to be struggling to find the right words but she knew what he was trying to say. She placed her finger on his lips, silencing him.

"Ze next time we meet, I will not let you go away again." He nodded before taking the goblet and drank, shivering slightly as he did so. Sometime during this Apolline had come back and was looking at the two sadly.

Fleur slowly got up, helping him lay back down on the bed. His eyes were already closing but they stayed fixed on her before finally she couldn't see the green orbs behind them.

"Faits de beaux rêves mon amour." She whispered, kissing his lips lightly before turning away from him. Her mother who had been silently watching her wrapped her arm around her as they exited the hospital wing. _"It's not fair." _

Apolline sighed, tightening her arm around her daughter. _"I know my dear...I know."_

* * *

**AN: I took quite some time to get this chapter out too. Oh well, I can't help it. This time it's not college to blame though. I've completely let go of my social life for this month. Why?**

**Devil May Cry 5 came out! I am…hopelessly addicted to that series. I am literally at my nerdiest when it comes to that game. I spent most of my free time playing it over and over again, unlocking the next difficulty and playing it from the beginning. I know most people don't like the new (or younger Dante) but I will hold my head high and declare that I actually like this one.**

**On top of that I bought Black ops 2. Dead space 3 is coming out tomorrow and a few weeks later Metal Gear Rising is coming out. To cap it off I'm broke and I'm working overtime. **

**Aite nerd rant over. Hopefully you guys understand now why I took some time for this chapter and why the next one might take a few weeks too.**

**So…thoughts on this chapter. You all know by now that I dislike the chapters I'm writing now. At least till I can pull them back together again. **

**Yeah, I finally gave in to my desire to add the love potion scenario. 'Course it gave me a reason to tug Fleur back into the picture a little so I'm not complaining. **

**For those of you who want to see more Harry in Hogwarts chapters don't worry. I think I can still manage 2 more of them at best. After all I have my ulterior motive for bringing Harry back to Hogwarts despite how easy it would have been to just let him leave it behind. (And make me happier to write chapters about too). **

**Next chapter will be much better than this one. At least it looks like it will be better than this one (to me). Anyway let me know what you guys think of this chapter.**

**Ugh…I know my author's note is getting boring but please bear with me. There is one more thing I have to address. **

**My previous note last chapter, the one where I mentioned I was annoyed with the die hard Emma Wa er…Hermione fans? It was ****only**** with the ones who ****Personal Messaged ****me and whined about what I was doing to her. **

**Reviews exist for you to leave behind your thoughts. What you like, what you don't. I respect everyone for having their opinions. If you like Ginny, Ron or Hermione, good for you! You're more than welcome to mention **_**why **_**you don't like my story. That is what a review is for after all.**

**For example, now I know that more than 85% of the people who read HP fics love the Harry/Hermione pairing and the canon pairing. If I ever wanted to write a fic that would get a lot of readers from the start, I know what I have to do. (Doesn't mean that I will though, still hate it :P) **

**The reason why I'm putting this ridiculously long note here is because there was an anonymous reviewer who reviewed twice, once writing that she (I assume it was a she from the name) disliked the way Hermione is treated in this story and later apologizing for posting a review about it. **

**You don't have to apologize. My rants, my annoyances are only with the people that I have mentioned about. I am considering blocking the PM feature but it would be unfair to both me and the few friends I've made here. **

**Haah…got everything. Dam this was long, sorry about this but I needed to get all this out of the way. I'll make the next chapter longer (excluding my notes) to make up for this. **

**Until next time, **

**Peace. **

**Ps- I am pushing my luck here, but erm…did you guys take offense when I said 'peeps' last time? I dunno about you but over here 'peeps' is a loose term for 'people'. Only reason I'm asking about this is because I got a threatening review from someone for using that word. I did spend half my time laughing at it and even responded to it but it does make you wonder…**


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm back! Thanks for reviewing, sorry I'm late, etc, etc. **

**French, italics…the whole deal. Without further interruptions…**

**CHAPTER 22**

Things gradually turned back to normal. Harry was released after one day's rest under Poppy's care. He would have protested against it, but for once he merely nodded which unnerved Poppy when she demanded he take one day off to rest.

He didn't know what was worse; Tricked into taking a dangerous mind-addling potion which would have made him do something he'd sorely regret (he still couldn't help shuddering at the thought) or seeing Fleur again only to have her taken away the same day.

He was irrationally angry with Ginny. Right now the line between anger and hate was thin…very thin. She did this to him, she who was someone he'd trusted. She went too far. Despite Fleur's reassurances he couldn't help thinking what could have happened if he'd succumbed to it. He felt dirty…contaminated.

But what was making him even more angry with her was the fact that it was her actions which had Fleur running here. They had been managing it…just barely managing to get used to the empty feeling in their chests they always carried around. It wasn't that he wasn't happy to have seen Fleur…far from it, but to wake up the next morning to find her gone had reawakened the raw feeling of loss.

The downside of being on a bed staring at a ceiling was that he couldn't stop himself from thinking. By the end of the day he was not quite the same person he was just a few days ago. Whether it was for the better or for the worse remained to be seen.

When he returned to school he found that the rumor mill had been at work. It was amusing to find how people seemed to believe _he _was at fault. Fellow Gryffindors could be heard talking to people from other houses in loud voices about how they had seen him try to murder Ginny in their common room. While that hadn't been his intentions he couldn't exactly say that thought hadn't crossed his mind. Still the stories about it were circulating around Hogwarts and people all over were greedily lapping it all up in a way to drag his name further below what is used to be.

News was also circulating about him and Fleur. Evidently a lot of people had spotted her when she came to Hogwarts. Fleur did tell him that Professor McGonagall knew about them and that everyone else who were in the hospital when she came in knew too.

He didn't care who knew. It was pretty much out in the open anyway after they time they spent in Diagon Alley and King's Cross. He didn't want or feel the need to hide it. The only reason he'd want to was if Fleur wished to but he knew from past experience that if he asked her about that, he would be cowering in fear before her as she yells herself hoarse at him for even thinking she'd want to.

The rumors going around were somewhat accurate. Some knew he was 'marked' but that was the extent they knew. They didn't know what it meant. They only seemed to know that he and the former Beauxbatons champion are an item.

Some thought it was a waste, her having to be with someone like him. Some thought they deserved each other, her being a Veela which probably meant she was something sinister and him being…whatever it is they thought.

There was a notable loss in points from Gryffindor. Of course, the blame rested on him for that too by his housemates. He honestly had no idea how they worked that one out but Ginny wasn't helping clarify things either, she was moping around like someone had died.

Fred and George were rather reluctant to talk to him. They didn't seem to know how to approach him about what had happened. He could remember one of them pulling their wand on him that evening. He couldn't exactly blame them, after all he had no idea what he would have done to Ginny and if he did, there would be no part of him that would feel remorse.

Ron was the same as ever, if not more so. He seemed inclined to blame him for what happened. _Him and the rest of them _he thought wryly. Hermione seemed to have thousands of questions and she'd been trying to approach him only to be turned away by the icy glare he sent her way.

Daphne was rather miffed that Fleur had dropped by and she hadn't seen her at all. She had been understanding and left him alone after dropping by for a brief visit the other day. Her advice to him was to pull himself back together again before he returned to school as it was depressing for her to have him acting like he did at the beginning of the term again.

* * *

Halloween morning found him alone at the Great Hall, Daphne had gone for History of Magic and he was free until the afternoon. He was planning on using the time to go down to visit Hagrid who he realized guiltily that he'd completely forgotten about.

He was just finishing up when an owl fluttered close to him, on closer inspection it turned out to be Errol, the Weasley's family owl. He looked around to find Ginny staring intently at him who blushed before quickly looking away.

Narrowing his eyes he untied the letter and recognized Mrs. Weasley's handwriting and without a second glance crumpled it in his fist. Slowly he got up and made his way up the table towards Ginny. As soon as he reached her, her friends edged away from her and she turned to look up at him, a pleading expression on her face.

He dropped the ball of paper in front of her. "Tell your mother to stop writing to me. I don't want anything to do with her, with you or anyone else that was in your little scheme." He said quietly. "There's no way someone like you could have managed to do it all alone. If you come near me or try to get in between me and Fleur again…don't say I didn't warn you." He left without another word.

* * *

"Thought yeh'd forgotten me for sure." Hagrid said gruffly, opening the door to let him in while Fang bounded on him.

"Yeah…sorry. I was planning on coming sooner but..." He grimaced and let it hang as he scratched Fang behind his ears making the dog roll over.

"Ah there's nothing to apologize for. Yeh have too much on your plate. What's this I hear about yeh and Weasley?" He sighed and launched into a brief explanation. "Blimey I knew she had a crush on yeh but to take it this far." Hagrid muttered when he'd finished. He shrugged. "Fleur's gone now?"

"Yeah…." He murmured, keeping his eyes fixed on Fang. Hagrid patted his hand gently seeing the pained look that came over his face.

"Don' let that get yeh down, I'm happy yeh have someone like that." A brief smile appeared on his lips.

"I know."

"She was in a righ' state. I recognized her the moment she came bursting through the school gates, demanding if I knew where yeh were. Thought she'd blast me aside when I tried to calm her down." He laughed, imagining the picture if she did. He'd never seen Hagrid get knocked down. Ever. "Fiery one she is. Yeh Potter men always had a thing fer those types."

"You knew my mom well?" He asked softly as Fang rested his head on his leg, whining softly and nudging at his hand. "Alright alright." He murmured, patting Fang.

"Lily Evans." Hagrid smiled, pouring some tea for him and offering one of his rock cakes which he took after a moment's hesitation. "Don' worry, I've made a few changes to the recipe." He grinned before biting into it. Sure enough it no longer threatened to break his teeth. "Yeh like?" He nodded eagerly. "Help yehself…now as fer Lily, O' course I knew her. She used to sit in the same spot yeh are now, patting Fang just like yeh are doing now."

"Fang? He was alive?" He asked in surprise and he could have sworn the dog gave him a condescending look. "Sorry." He said with a grin and resumed his patting.

"Yeh thinking about muggle dogs Harry. Fang here is a cross between a Krup an' a normal dog. He will live fer a long time." Hagrid chuckled. "Yeh know…the resemblance yeh have with Lily is striking. Wish I had a picture from back then…"

"Tell me about her?" He asked quietly. The next few hours were spent learning more about his mother. How she used to be one of the best students Hogwarts had ever seen, her fondness of Fang…how she used to hate James Potter during the early years (he had been rather surprised when Sirius and Remus told him that at first).

Apparently she remained the only person to have ever made friends with some of the merfolk living under the lake and although he prodded Hagrid for more information about it he couldn't get any, only that his mother was best friends with a mermaid named 'Ari'.

It was funny how he'd never learnt much about his mother from his godfather or Remus, maybe it was because she never truly became a part of their group until their last year.

"Yeh attending the Halloween ball?" Hagrid asked finally when he got up to go. It was almost 5 and he wanted to avoid the crowd which was surely going to gather at the entrance hall soon.

"No…what about you?" He waved a large hand airily.

"Had meself enough fun at the last one." Harry grinned mischievously.

"With Madame Maxime?" The blush hidden behind his whiskers was enough explanation. "I could get a message to her through Fleur…"

"NO! Harry if yeh do that I'll…" He broke off chuckling at the sly smile on his face. "Go on, out with yeh! I need some time to meself now."

Harry couldn't resist. "To think about Madame Maxime?" He ducked under the enormous hand that was coming at him and danced away from his reach. "Have fun." He said cheerfully with a wink and tore out the door before Hagrid could get to him.

"Sometimes that boy seems to act worse than Lily and James put together eh?" Hagrid asked, closing the door and looking at Fang who lay down on the floor and put his paws over his nose and gave a loud sniff. "Oh so yeh agree with him? An' here I thought yeh were on my side."

* * *

By the time he got back the whole school was abuzz with excitement. The Great Hall looked similar to what it was at the Yule ball except this time instead of the Christmas decorations there were Jack-O'-lanterns.

People were already meeting up at the Entrance Hall. He saw Fred and Angelina and even Neville and Susan together. Eyes turned to him when he entered but he ignored all of them and kept his face blank as he walked through the crowds and up the stairs. He could hear jeers and some people shouting at him. A few 'where's your half breed at Potter?' were thrown his way but he ignored them, continuing on his way.

When he reached the first floor however he was surprised to find Dumbledore standing alone in the corridor, staring at a portrait with his hands behind his back, smiling serenely. He was going to continue on his way silently and take the next set of stairs which were slowly coming his way when Dumbledore's suddenly said "Anyone would think you were afraid of getting caught by your headmaster Harry."

He turned back and walked towards him with a small smile. "I'm sorry sir but you looked like you were off in your own world."

"Ahh guilty as charged. An old man does have his moments." He then turned back to the wall. "Tell me, have you ever stopped to look at this portrait?" He peered at the one Dumbledore was pointing at. Unlike any of the other portraits in Hogwarts where the pictures were moving, this one seemed no different than a common muggle painting.

It showed a figure standing in front of two roads. One of them looked bright and inviting, footprints evident on it and at the end of it there were tiny black dots which he assumed were other people. The other path looked foreboding and dark. The floor was covered in leaves and there were no prints on it. This one unlike the other had no clear end, it split more ways after a few feet, more ways after the other and so on.

"No…I don't think I've ever seen this one." He fell silent, staring at it for a while longer. "This doesn't look like it belongs here."

"It doesn't." Dumbledore agreed. "It's a muggle painting. Professor Dippet…or Headmaster Dippet as you may have heard…" He added at the confused look on his face. Now that he'd mentioned it, Harry could remember the old headmaster from Riddle's memory. "…found it and had a great fascination with it. This is perhaps the only muggle painting in the castle."

"Now may I ask you a personal question Harry?" He nodded. "Which path would you take?"

He thought for a moment, looking between the two. "The path less travelled I guess…" Something about his answer must have pleased the headmaster because he was smiling now.

"Forgive me if I seem too inquisitive, but why would do that? After all that path…" He indicated the one which looked welcoming. "…has a clear end, everyone else has taken it."

"Going along a path where the ending is unclear...it's sort of a relief isn't it?" He asked, looking sideways at the headmaster who nodded slowly. "It's not something that you're following blindly after others. And who knows? Maybe that will give a better ending."

Dumbledore merely looked at him before turning back to the picture. "How would we know indeed." He said quietly.

"Which would you take sir? If you had a choice." There was a faint note of resentment in his voice but if Dumbledore noticed it, he didn't say anything.

"Me? Oh I would rather walk in the wake of others. A path where one can see their ending clearly…that is something I would hope for." Then he smiled. "We both know that is not realistic, this picture is merely a comparison. The artist was merely comparing what was his idea of a perfect life was with reality. I'd say the artist managed to portray it clearly don't you think?

"Or he could be trying to tell us that there is no real ending." Harry murmured, making the old headmaster look at him.

"Why do you say that?"

"That is reality." He said softly, indicating the shady path. "But it keeps going. There's no end. But life is supposed to have an end doesn't it?" Dumbledore's eyes widened if only for a moment.

"You are speaking about death." He nodded, albeit guardedly. He had no idea why he ventured towards that particular subject but that was all the picture was telling him. In a way…he wanted to know if Dumbledore had arrived at the same conclusion as him. "Yes…that could be one interpretation. After all no one knows what happens afterwards do they? It could just be the starting point for another journey."

Silence fell over them again while Harry took the time to glance around at the other pictures although inwardly he was thinking about Dumbledore's words.

"You have changed a lot since the last time I've spoken to you Harry." He turned to look at Dumbledore who was looking at him, his eyes twinkling slightly. "Would you care to spend some time with this old fool who just wants to get away from it all?" He grinned back before nodding. "Excellent. Let us walk."

He let Dumbledore lead the way down the stairs and as they passed the Great Hall he chanced a glance in. The same arrangements as the Yule ball had been made; instead of the house tables, the hall was filled with little round ones which had a varying number of people around it. The dancing had not yet begun. "Aren't you going to be attending the ball sir?"

"The ball? Oh no…I find myself in a strange mood today. Memories I thought I had forgotten…" He trailed off dreamily while Harry felt a strange desire to laugh. "That reminds me, why are you not there yourself Harry?"

"I erm…well…"

"Perhaps if the company was the same as the previous ball then." The dam twinkle was back at full force. He blushed slightly making the headmaster chuckle. "It is refreshing to find a young man with his priorities set straight."

They came to a stop in front of the pier at the Norther side of the Great Lake where Harry could just make out the lights on the train station.

"I often forget how peaceful the nights are in these grounds. I always make mental note to spend more time outside of my office, Fawkes often implores me…oh!" He turned to see the headmaster and had to stifle a laugh. He never thought he'd see the day that Albus Dumbledore looked so…guilty.

"Sir what…?"

"I almost forgot..." The headmaster stretched his arm out and a few moments later Fawkes appeared, perched on it in a flash of fire. "He has been dying to get outside." He clarified for Harry. "Ah! And I think he has been wanting to see you again for quite a while!"

Harry smiled as the phoenix flew over to his shoulder with a musical cry before it began rubbing its head against his cheek. This behavior was so strikingly similar to Hedwig that he couldn't resist stroking its golden plumage softly. Fawkes trilled happily before taking off again and flew away into the night skies before glowing a fiery red and disappearing in a burst of flame.

"He does not like it when I say it…but he is quite the show off when he wants to impress someone." Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"Where's he going?" He asked, leaning against the railing just as Dumbledore did the same.

"Anywhere he feels like it. He cannot venture too far away from me I'm afraid. He doesn't really get the chance to stretch his wings despite my persuading…always preferring to keep me company."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence while they both stared out at the waters. Harry felt a slight shiver run down his back when he remembered sinking into the depths of the river, how hopeless he'd felt at that point.

"Minerva told me quite a few things about you and Miss Delacour." He turned to see a small smile hidden behind the long beard. "Allow me to congratulate you and wish that you two have a long and happy life together." He fought to control his blush and mumble his thanks while Dumbledore chuckled before growing somber again.

"Alas…I must also offer my condolences to the pain you must be going through being separated from her." He turned back before smiling sadly at the moon's reflection on the water.

"We're getting by." He said quietly.

"I also heard about the incident with young Miss Weasley. I…am horribly disappointed in her actions but I must confess, I am rather proud that you held yourself back." He nodded, that subject was still a sore point with him. "Mrs. Weasley has implored me t-wait…please let me finish Harry." Dumbledore put up his hands at the icy glare he sent his way.

"I have told her that it is up to you and to you alone if you would ever allow any of them back into your life. I understand just how much damage they could have done to you and to Miss Delacour and I am far from impressed by their actions. All she wanted me to do was to pass on her apology."

"An apology?" He asked suddenly. "An apology does not make up for any of this. I know that you believe in second chances sir but there are some who do not deserve it."

Dumbledore opened his mouth before frowning ever so slightly and closing it. "I am sorry that you think like that." It took all of Harry's willpower to stop himself from saying 'I'm not'. "I…feel I have a lot more to apologize to you for Harry." He looked at him questioningly only to find that the headmaster's eyes were fixed on the castle. With a jolt he realized that his eyes looked rather…watery.

"I am not all knowing or powerful as people want to believe. I tend to make mistakes and unfortunately I have a tendency to make the most serious of mistakes. My biggest mistake was to leave you with your aunt and uncle thinking they would take you in and care for you as they would their own son."

"As it turns out they did far more to you than just neglect. I knew you were not treated with care and affection at that house but I never thought it would stretch to acts of cruelty that had been inflicted on you."

"How…" He began hoarsely, his throat dry.

"I looked." Dumbledore answered simply. "I searched for it. I never thought anything like that could have happened to you so it never crossed my mind. Rest assured that you will never have to return to them again. The Delacours are firm on their decision that their home is your own and I find no reason to argue with them."

"But…" He didn't know what to feel. Was he happy? Was he afraid? "Why now? You had the past...all those years to look for this. How…why did you…"

"Because I was blind Harry. My eyes would have remained closed had it not been to Remus."

"Remus…does he know? Does Sirius know?!" He asked quickly, a hint of panic in his voice. He knew his godfather well. If Sirius knew what had happened to him the Dursleys would already be dead.

Dumbledore seemed to have read his mind. "No, don't worry Sirius or Remus for that matter don't know. It would lead to unpleasant circumstances if it did. No…Remus simply told me about the time he spent teaching you to conjure your Patronous and your worry about why it takes the form it does now. It was not what I wanted to hear but it did open my mind to somewhere that I had been afraid to look."

"Do not think I never noticed the act you put on for everyone. Ever since the first year I knew that you were far more mature for anyone your age. The childlike innocence we expect of a normal eleven year old never showed in you. Perhaps I noticed then that something was wrong, but I being the fool I was I believed in my ideals and the trust I had in familial bonds."

"The mask you wore, I chose to believe it. No…I _wanted _to believe it. I wanted to think that the happy young man before me was truly happy. I always knew in the back of my mind that you were far from that but I did not want to be wrong about my decisions I had made with you. Decisions that robbed you of a proper childhood. For that I truly am sorry and beg your forgiveness."

He didn't say anything for a few minutes. He was aware Dumbledore was still looking at him and for some reason, he did not want to look at him. He did not want to see weakness in this man. He did not want to see Albus Dumbledore pleading with him for forgiveness.

"You could have given me a better childhood…that's true." He said softly, still watching the lake. "Maybe I would have been different. I could have met different people, have different friends…" He tightened his hold on the railing. "...Could have had a family." He finished quietly before giving a small, humorless laugh.

"It's funny…I should be angry at you. I should hate you for having the chance and choosing not to give it to me." He finally turned to look at him. The old headmaster looked as if he had aged a couple hundred more years. "But…I guess in the end I am glad I grew up the way I did."

Whatever Dumbledore was expecting, it was not this. "Harry…"

"I have everything and more than I ever wanted and more now. I have a family. I have a person who cares about me. If my past was different, if I was different…I don't think I'd have ever met her." He said quietly. "That day last year when I first met her changed everything and there's not a thing I'd change in my past if it meant leading me to her."

Dumbledore was silent for a long time. He could see the sorrowful look in his eyes; the customary twinkle had long since disappeared.

In a way he was angry, there was no denying it. But he was strangely grateful too. Every word he told the headmaster was true and he meant each and every one of them. There was nothing he wouldn't do to have Fleur in his life.

What Dumbledore said scared him, what if he _had _grown up in a caring household. An even worse thought struck him, what if he knew he was famous from the beginning? What if he was spoilt rotten like how the Dursleys did to their son? He shuddered at the thought. Yes, he would have preferred the early years to be…less painful but if all of that played a part in getting him to where he was now, he would gladly do it all over again.

"You truly are a better man than I could ever hope to be." Dumbledore murmured softly. He looked up to find the headmaster was gazing up at the stars, a pensive expression on his face. "It appears I have a lot to thank Miss Delacour for than I thought." They fell silent, the only sounds were the leaves rustling before Dumbledore broke the silence again.

"Sirius and Remus talked to me…a lot…about you. Your godfather…advised me to stop treating you like a child and more like an equal if I ever wanted to amend things with you. Will you give me that chance Harry? For now, all I wish for is that you continue on with your life the way you want it to be. It's the least I could do." He didn't answer right away, watching a tentacle appear at the middle of the lake.

He always looked up to Dumbledore, even now he respected him despite everything Sirius told him. Yes he had changed his views, he didn't blindly believe in the man before him. The old thoughts he had; That Dumbledore had the answer to everything, that any problem could be solved by him. The part of him who believed that was long gone.

Maybe they could start over again, only this time he would have established himself as an individual. He knew Dumbledore's words were genuine. The man was honestly remorseful for his mistakes and wanted to make up for them. If he wasn't then Albus Dumbledore has to be the world's greatest actor.

He was aware that the headmaster was watching him intently but he still didn't talk, watching as for a brief second the head of the Giant Squid broke the surface of the water. Once it disappeared beneath the black surface he sighed before hitching a smile on his face.

"On a clean slate then?" He asked before extending his hand. "Nice to meet you sir, my name is Harry James Potter; Godson to a lecherous dog who happens to be one of the Marauders of Hogwarts. Son of Lily and James Potter and last but not least…" He paused for dramatic effect, "...significant other to the most beautiful woman in the world, Fleur Isabella Delacour."

Dumbledore stared at him for a full 5 seconds and he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at the sight of his flabbergasted expression. Suddenly the headmaster started chuckling which soon turned into hearty laughter.

"Oh Harry…" He had a wide smile on his face as he took off his glasses and wiped his eyes before putting them back on. "You continue to surprise me in the strangest ways. Just when I'm beginning to think you act more like your mother you go off in a completely opposite direction. But where are my manners…" He cleared his throat before covering Harry's hand with both of his own and shaking it.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Potter, allow me to introduce myself. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore; Headmaster to Hogwarts school of Withcraft and Wizardry. I had many more titles but the ministry deemed it necessary to remove them but let it be noted that I still have my face on the tradable chocolate frog cards."

"Merlin…your introduction is long enough without those titles sir." Harry said with a small frown although his eyes were sparkling with amusement.

"Ah…but the same could be said to you my boy. You have dropped many titles but if I may be so bold, I'd say the titles you used for yourself are the few you wear proudly and cherish the most. Especially the last one." He added with a wink making him blush ever so slightly.

Suddenly Fawkes appeared on Dumbledore's shoulder in a flash of fire with a musical trill and nuzzled against his neck. "It appears Fawkes wants to return to his perch. Shall we return to the castle Harry? We could avoid the crowd before they break up at midnight."

He nodded and together they made their way back towards the castle.

"I always wondered, what is that ingenious device you carry around your person? With those…ah...things attached to your ears?" Harry laughed at Dumbledore's attempt to describe the mp3 player. He had been using it frequently now, preferring the sound of music blaring in his ears than the chatter of students. That and he always got a kick from the strange expressions he got while he wore the earphones.

"It's a…" And so he explained what it was to the best of his ability. By the end of his explanation he knew the headmaster had not understood a single word of it and that the knowledgeable sounds he was making were merely an act.

"I heard that Hogwarts is quickly becoming a place you resent…and that you are looking to break away from it." He stumbled a step and quickly looked up only to find that Dumbledore had a small smile on his face while stroking Fawkes's beautiful plumage.

"Don't worry, I meant every word that I said earlier. You are your own man. Make your own decisions if I can offer you some advice from time to time?" He nodded. "I believe you will be looking towards France would you not?" He nodded again. Where else would he go? Bulgaria?

"Madame Maxime has expressed her utmost interest in you and would be willing to give you a place in her school…although maybe not as a student though." He looked confusedly at the headmaster whose eyes were twinkling at full force again. "Alas I cannot talk about it, it is merely an idea. You stirred quite a storm back at the French ministry during your O.W.L's."

"Sir…" He sighed as they walked into the entrance hall, loud music still coming from the Great Hall. "Must you always be so cryptic?"

"Of course not my boy. But as a muggle saying goes that I find myself extremely fond of, where's the fun in that?"

* * *

Two weeks slowly dragged by and Harry was seriously considering jumping on his broom and making a one way trip to France.

Umbridge had been appointed a 'high inquisitor'…whatever that meant. She had been inspecting each and every teacher in Hogwarts and for some reason she'd been in every single lesson he had. She spent most of her time talking to the students (actively avoiding him and Daphne, the latter of whom she seemed to be unexpectedly wary about for some reason) about the teacher's performances.

She also spent a large amount of time questioning students about events outside of Hogwarts and their opinions on it, mainly on the allegations made by Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Some students jumped at the chance and spoke their minds, making snide comments about it while others merely shrugged it off.

Some of the teachers like professor Sprout and professor Flitwick ignored it and chose to continue teaching as normal although the tiny charms professor exacted his vengeance on those who paid attention to Umbridge's questions rather than his teachings by asking questions about what he was talking about and setting extra amounts of work for them when they failed to answer.

His favorites were professor Snape (shockingly) and professor McGonagall. The first time Umbridge tried talking to a student privately Snape said in a deadly cold voice, "If you are here to inspect my lessons it is advisable for you to allow the students to concentrate on what's at hand than your questions which have nothing to do with my subject."

McGonagall merely went on with her class as normal but when Umbridge tried speaking to students she stated firmly that she did not allow anyone to interrupt when she was talking.

Needless to say, Umbridge never turned up at Potions or Transfiguration thereafter.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a joke. He thought he'd seen everything when Lockhart tried teaching them to defend themselves against pixies but with what Umbridge is doing, Lockhart could have been seen as a perfectly competent teacher.

He left the in class exams Umbridge set for them blank and it seemed she had jumped at that chance to try and get him landed in detention with her. Professor McGonagall had merely redirected his detentions to school service much to her outrage meaning that he spent a few hours in the library each day for a week putting books back in order.

It wasn't that bad, seeing as Daphne was always around and once he was 'rescued' from his 'punishment' by a passing professor Sinistra who asked Madam Pince to borrow him for something she had in mind. Once outside she'd merely winked and walked off.

* * *

Harry had a rather sad smile on his face as he slowly put away his diary. Fleur had insisted on staying the whole night up writing to keep him company but she unlike him was not used to it. From the half written sentence he knew she had probably fallen asleep, book and quill in hand and made a mental note to tease her about it the next day…well…technically later today about it.

He could feel Fleur's emotions sometimes which meant their bond was getting stronger but from it, he could sense her longing which was in turn it was making it unbearable for him. Each day that passed was making it harder for him to keep his thoughts from slipping towards her and there was a part of him that kept getting a feeling of unease and foreboding, as if something bad was happening to her.

The diary was a godsend and he was more than thankful for Fleur having the insight to get it. If they had been relying on letters he had no idea how he'd be able to concentrate on anything else.

The only way for him to get by was by giving anything he did his all, be it practicing magic, learning something new or Quidditch. He had fallen back to the daily workout routine Sirius had set out for him last year and was using the Room of Requirement to full effect. That in addition to Quidditch training was pushing him far and well beyond his limits as sometimes his body just seemed to shut itself down rendering him weak for a few hours in the afternoon, most of which he spent talking to Fleur.

Sometimes he even scared himself with the amount of progress he was making. He was being reckless. He knew he should exercise more caution but that recklessness was all that was getting him through each day, distracting him from his persistent thoughts about when he could leave Hogwarts behind.

Today was no different.

He glanced up at the sky, there were small flashes in the sky indicating a storm was approaching. In a way he was glad Fleur was asleep, if by any chance she could sense what he was about to do she'd be here within the next second and he would be hospitalized for the next month. Although that did sound appealing considering what he had in mind.

Shaking himself he slowly got up, the time was approaching, this was the only time it would work and perhaps the only way he could put this one to the err…test.

What he was about to attempt was complex. It transcended the realm of spell casting. This was a way to control natural phenomenon…transform it into something that can be controlled to an extent. After all the general rule of a combatant was to use anything and everything to one's advantage…be it the surroundings, the terrain…anything that gives you the upper the hand. He was merely taking it a few steps above it.

He was nervous. This was not something he'd taken from a book. No…this was something he had worked out in theory, using the multiple notes on certain spells that had caught his eye.

This was crazy, yet in some level it made sense as he went over the theory again. _'Sublevatio' _enabled the caster to mimic the effects of lightening. The power it generated at its condensed form. _'Cataegis' _enabled the caster to mimic a storm. Those spells were able to wipe out entire cities, virtually anything in its path. After all, there was no way one could hide from a natural disaster by hiding behind a spell shield.

While those two spells were among the most powerful forms of magic that existed, it was imperfect. The amount of energy to generate lightening or even a storm was formidable. He had no doubt someone like Dumbledore…or even Voldemort could accomplish it but he was light years away from them. He had seen Dumbledore render a dragon unconscious after a single spell. Voldemort…he knew the reason his encounter with the dark lord had gone in his favor was because he had been severely underestimated.

Despite what Sirius or Remus told him, he knew he stood no chance against Voldemort in a straight up battle even if he trained for the next 10 years nonstop. It was simply impossible. Voldemort had dabbled in magic far longer than he had. He'd have a far better chance of killing the dark lord if he was able to sneak up to him when he was asleep and drive a knife through his heart…if there was such a thing left.

His only choice at this point was to get inventive. Sirius had shown him a way to manipulate magic to what they wanted and he had an aptitude for it.

So he came up with what had seemed like a brilliant idea; Rather than draw directly from his core he was going to use what was already around him.

It wasn't unheard of. Magic in its natural form was more or less one with the elements. The only reason why a spell caster never used it was because their 'core' harnessed more magic than what was available in the surroundings. That and no one really knew how to manipulate the magic that was around them, results of their own ignorance.

In fact, the same book Remus had given him which explained about his ability to channel magic wandlessly stated that some simply had the ability to do it while others could not. Those who could were described as beings who are heavily attuned to magic.

Nature had its way of setting people differently. Just like the differences between muggles and wizards, within the ranks of wizards there were those who were simply set above their peers for unknown reasons. For example there was the existence of squibs…unable to perform magic even if they had magical blood in their veins.

Despite the belief that any amount of hard work could beat talent, the truth was that no matter how hard anyone tried, they were always going to be overshadowed by those who were simply granted more.

Voldemort…despite how much the man sickened him he had respect for the power the man held. From the memories he had; the way the dark lord toyed with his opponents, the way he wielded his magic, he simply outstripped everyone before him. The only person who could match him in his eyes was Albus Dumbledore.

Maybe nature was unfair. After all how many others were there the likes of those two? It wasn't like they were over a thousand years old with more than decades of experience. If everyone were equal, then almost everyone the same age as Dumbledore or Voldemort would be close to them in terms of power.

Harry himself was starting his journey along that path, what with his ability to channel magic without the aid of a wand and everything else he'd come to terms with. Years ago he wouldn't have cared but now he wanted to do whatever he could to get out of the shadow of those wizards and come into his own. If he could do what he was planning on doing…well…it was one more thing that would set him apart from the others.

Letting out a deep breath he steeled himself. It was absolutely crucial to get the timing and the wand movements right. In simple terms, he was trying to direct the lightening towards him and at the last second forcefully direct it away, using the backlash it created to make it strike where he wanted it to.

The last part was easy. Getting it to him was a whole other story.

The low rumble in the skies snapped him out of his reverie and put the gears to work in his head as he slowly took his place near the wall. He was at the top of the Astronomy tower and after all, it wouldn't do for him to be thrown off the tower in case something went wrong.

The rumbling was getting louder and he was bracing himself as he created a small orb in front of him and fed it a trickle of energy little by little. From the rumbling sound he knew he was successful in drawing the lightening nearer.

Then all too soon without warning, without any prior indication, in a brilliant flash lightening struck and too many things happened at once.

As he watched the arc shooting towards him a fresh surge of energy cursed through him and his vision lost all color other than the bright blue bolt heading towards him and the orb he had conjured which had a yellow glow around it. It was as if time had slowed down and he could see trails left behind the bolt and the orb.

As if in a trance he watched as the blue trail melded with the yellow around his orb. Suddenly it felt like a loud alarm was blaring in his ears, snapping him out of his trance like state. Acting on instinct he jabbed his wand at the orb, feeding it a burst of energy, putting all he could into it and making it shatter into a million pieces.

The effect was instantaneous, with a terrifying bang the blue bolt shot the other way, skywards and away from him, throwing him backwards and knocking his head painfully against the hard stone wall.

It was a long moment before he moved, trying to calm his heart which was hammering painfully against his chest. He honestly thought he'd died.

"'_Arry!" _His head shot up as he glanced around wildly. That voice…it couldn't be…

"'_Arry! Answer me! Please!" _

"Fleur?" He gasped, getting shakily to his feet. There was no one around him and yet it was her voice he'd heard. She sounded alarmed but just then an immense feeling of relief washed over him inexplicably.

"Are you al_…." _It was her voice again but it was cut off abruptly and he felt the feeling of relief he had disappear. A split second later he dashed to his bag, wrenching it open and pulled out the diary where words were already appearing on it. Banging his head against the wall painfully in his haste he slid to the floor.

"Never. Doing. Something. This. Stupid. Again." He growled under his breath, digging his nails to his fist painfully before he picked up his quill and started trying to calm an extremely distressed Fleur down.

It did not end well.

* * *

"Excellent work team, keep this up and Slytherin won't know what hit them." Angelina said bracingly after 3 hours of rigorous training. Harry grunted, shouldering his Firebolt as he slowly trudged after the others.

"She's kidding…she's kidding isn't she?" Alicia whispered in his ear and he merely gave her an exasperated look and shrugged before walking off after the Weasleys.

They had as much chance of winning the upcoming match as Umbridge would announce her wedding. Angelina did not want to say anything due to the family members on the team, something which he was more than a little annoyed about. He knew Fred and George were just as disgusted as the rest of the team with their little brother's performance.

Their wonderful Keeper simply failed to block _any _goals. To make matters worse he kept whining about how his broom was feeling unresponsive and how it was difficult to see the Quaffle in the rain. An excuse which the twins were quite fond of quoting seeing as the very reason the Quaffle was painted a bright red was to provide the chasers and keepers with better vision IF a Qudditch match was marred by rain.

At least he had no excuses for when he let the Quaffle in when the skies were blue.

Despite Angelina's pep talks, the whole team was looking towards a humiliating defeat unless Harry could catch the snitch within the first minute or so. Draco Malfoy had somehow managed to acquire the same broom he had so he no longer had that advantage and the whole school knew by now about Ron's abysmal abilities.

This meant that none of them would have to pay attention to Ron at all. Even if the Slytherin team was made up of the meanest and surliest people in the house, there was no denying that their chasers were on par with the girls. They still had their Keeper who is almost as good as Wood and they were the team that used any means necessary to reach their goal. Something which Harry was well aware of from his past matches.

After quickly getting changed into a shirt and a pair of Jeans he made his way back to the castle. Fleur would be getting back home soon.

She was angry with him. He was too afraid to face her wrath and hadn't told her about what he'd been doing but he had a funny feeling she knew exactly what he'd done.

He couldn't blame her, he had terrified her by his stupidity and he felt he deserved the cold shouldering he was getting from her. But that didn't change the fact that having her ignore him was far more painful than he was willing to admit and he was still hoping against hope he'd see her writing on the diary every time he opened it. She hadn't written a word to him ever since the day in the Astronomy tower and now it had been 2 full days.

He needed to talk to her. No matter how many times it took he would keep trying.

* * *

"_Fleur you look terrible." _Colette muttered under her breath_. _

Fleur remained quiet as they walked down the corridor together. It was the end of their shift and they just had to clock themselves out before heading back home.

She was incredibly guilty about what had happened. She had been furious with him. He could not hide what he'd been doing, she'd seen it all from the moment the bolt shot at him. She'd been asleep when that whole scene flashed before her eyes.

It was only a person with a death wish that would even want to do what he did and even now it was making her blood run cold at the extremely narrow escape he'd had. In her worry and anger at him they had not left off in the best of terms. Ever since then she'd refused to talk to him despite the pain it was causing to both of them.

Her anger had burnt itself out within hours since she'd left the final message and she had regretted writing what she wrote finally to him. Telling him he didn't care about anyone other than himself? About her? She had no idea what she'd been thinking when she wrote all that.

She was scared that he was ignoring her now, or maybe he was even angry with her. She didn't even want to think about it. She hadn't opened the diary since, afraid to see if he had written anything back, repaying her last message with interest even though every fiber of her being was telling her that he was not like that.

Colette seemed to be reading her thoughts. _"Look, if there's one thing I learnt about him from everything you've told me it's that he'd never say anything against you. You never meant to sound hurtful, you were frightened that something had happened to him." _

She nodded absentmindedly, not even noticing one of the male healers leering at her. _"This was the first time I'd ever told him off and ignored him…I feel like a…" _She couldn't finish her sentence. Colette's eyes widened.

"_You mean you two had never had a disagreement the whole time you've been together?" _

"_Of course we have…but this is just...it's all my fault! He's all the way over there and I even know how much I'm hurting him by ignoring him. What if he…." _

"_Fleur…" _Her friend said firmly. _"Write to him. You're hurting yourself as well as him with this." _

And she knew it was true. She could feel his pain and longing every time she thought about him and it made her want to run into his arms and break down apologizing for everything she'd written.

What stung her most was the one line she'd written saying he didn't care about her. Before that he had been apologizing frantically but after that he'd stopped writing and after a few minutes of waiting to see if he'd attempt to keep apologizing, she'd snapped her diary shut in anger.

She had even felt his despair the moment she'd written it before angrily withdrawing herself away from their link which allowed them to be closer to one another with emotions. It seemed for now she was the only one who could control that link.

"_Fleur, Colette, we need you back here." _A voice called sharply from behind them making them jump.

* * *

Fleur sighed tiredly as she closed her eyes, letting the warm water wash over her. It was past midnight and she'd only returned home about an hour ago. There had been an emergency back at the clinic and both she and Colette along with the other trainees had been forced to work stay behind.

Turning off the shower she put on one of Harry's shirts after drying herself before sliding under the bed covers. After a moment's hesitation she pulled the diary towards her and flicked it open, her sense of guilt and shamefulness increasing with every page she turned as she saw the number of attempts he'd tried to contact her. The most recent being about 2 hours ago, he'd written just one word…her name.

Picking up her quill she tentatively wrote his name, praying that he'd answer. Almost immediately a profound sense of relief spread through her when his writing appeared underneath.

It didn't come as quickly though. He crossed out something he was going to write and judging by the ink blot that appeared it seemed he was at a loss of what to say. Just before she could write something words starting forming slowly.

_Are you angry? _She felt her heart throb painfully as for the first time in what felt like years she felt his emotions. He was scared and still ashamed of himself.

Desperately she turned to the link, taking hold of her necklace as she concentrated on trying to make him feel what she was feeling. There was no way she could apologize to him properly by writing, there was no way she could reassure him, tell him how sorry she was for ignoring him by mere words.

After what felt like ages she felt him, his fear turning to happiness and relief. More words were coming up underneath.

_I won't do something like that again. _She smiled slightly, it was like a child apologizing for being naughty. She was about to write back when more words formed slowly. _Don't ignore…don't stop speaking to me like that again. _She froze as she watched the next word form. _Please. _

"Oh 'Arry…" She whispered, feeling her heart breaking. She wanted to see him so badly, she could just imagine the pained look on his face, the lifeless green eyes. She had promised herself to never let that expression appear on his face again and she'd already broken it.

She wanted him here, she wanted to make him see and to understand that she would never do it again but there was no way she could do it. She wanted to rip the diary apart, march off to Hogwarts and bring him back with her.

Instead she could only write _I won't_ and allow the tears to fall. No matter how much they had gone through he still seemed to think there was a chance that she'd not want him anymore.

The rest of the night neither of them slept a wink, both intent on making up for the time they'd lost the past two days.

* * *

"Good luck!"

"Don't worry, all the practicing is surely going to pay off."

Harry turned away, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes as he watched Ron talk about _practice. _

It was the morning of their first Quidditch match of the season and as luck would have it, they would be playing against Slytherin. He honestly could say that this was one match he was not looking forward to.

He could probably beat Malfoy in a seeker's duel if it came down to it even if they were both using the same brooms but unless he caught the snitch within the first few minutes of the game they were looking towards their worst match yet.

Ron was getting a pep talk further up the Gryffindor table by Seamus, Dean, Ginny and the others. He looked like he was going to faint at his current state and while Harry could sympathize with it, he still hated the way Ron seemed to think everything would go his way despite how much the evidence pointed against him.

For perhaps the first time since he'd started playing, he didn't really care about the upcoming match as much as he would have in the past years. House pride…loyalty, it had all but left him. Why should he even play when he was nothing more than an outsider? If it wasn't for the fact that he'd be letting down his fellow teammates he would have left the team from the start of the year.

"Make sure you get something to eat." He looked around, startled when someone gripped his shoulder and it turned out to be Katie. "Why don't you join us?" She added, nodding her head towards the others.

"No thanks, I've heard that pep talk enough times already. Think she's channeling Wood." He added as an afterthought making her grin.

"On second thought…I don't want to go there either." She muttered before sliding into the seat beside him and promptly giving a small yelp. "Why's this seat freezing?!"

"Erm…think it's because Nick was sitting here a few minutes ago." She glared at him before shivering slightly. "Don't look at me like that…the rest of them will think I'd done something to you ah…never mind, they already do." She looked around quickly to see the others glaring at him.

"What're you all staring at?" She snapped before pulling a plate of toast towards her, muttering under her breath.

"Hmm…they seem to be afraid of you." He said absentmindedly, tying one of the loose knots on the band Gabrielle had given him tighter. She sighed before turning to look at him, her eyes still narrowed although they did soften considerably.

"There used to be a boy who stood up against everyone when they thought he was the heir of Slytherin. Now you just take it."

"It's much easier this way." He countered with a shrug. She continued to watch him before shaking her head.

"This is the first time in ages since I've talked to you. You know we still want our little brother back right?" He smiled softly as when he felt her bump against his shoulder. "He isn't so 'little' anymore though."

"I've just been…"

"Busy." She finished for him. "But you can't just forget about everything else you. I know Angelina and the others have been trying to get a hold of you for a while now…well…they're still trying to sort out our 'keeper'." She muttered the last part rather scornfully as she gazed towards the front of the table. "Today though, after the match we are all going to have some words so you better not disappear." He chuckled before nodding.

"Sir yes sir. I mean ma'am." She narrowed her eyes at him and tugged at one of the long strands of hair at the side of his face. "Ow!"

It was almost time for the match to begin when he got to his feet. The rest of the team were already leaving, Katie had gone to have some last minute discussions about tactics with Angelina and Alicia. Before he could leave though someone's hand closed around his wrist and pulled him back.

"Good luck." A smile lit his face when he recognized the voice.

"Thought you weren't coming to watch." Daphne grinned back, pinching his arm.

"And miss this one? Not on your life. But…" She fell silent when a few Slytherins who were coming up behind them bumped roughly into them, some of them shooting nasty looks at her. She tugged on his hand, pulling him away from the crowd. "Be careful this time alright?" She murmured quietly. "Malfoy's determined to win this one and he's enlisted the help of everyone on the team. Weasley's the last of their concerns."

"It won't be the first time." He commented lightly before grinning at her. "Thanks though. You better not be seen talking to me then…the Slytherins wouldn't take too kindly to it."

She shrugged. "Won't make a difference. They already think I'm a blood traitor. Oh don't look so worried, it's not only because I'm with you. Stop thinking everything revolves around you." She added, laughing at the mock hurt look that appeared on his face.

"That hurt." He whined while she reached up and patted his head, cooing softly. Her grin growing wider at his affronted look.

The rest of the Gryffindors and some of the Slytherins coming out behind them including Hermione and Ginny who were staring at them suspiciously.

Her smile suddenly grew predatory and he almost took a step back at the dangerous glint in her eyes. "Haven't seen their reactions to this one yet." She murmured quietly. Before he could ask what she pecked his cheek in a swift motion, whispering "For luck." in his ear and winked before walking away, leaving him frozen along with the others who were staring between the two of them in shock.

His look of shock slowly melted away as a smirk tugged on his lips before turning to walk in her wake leaving the flabbergasted crowd behind. She really did know how to get her point across.

* * *

Inside the changing rooms he put on the scarlet robes and waited at the team room for the others. He had his wand strapped to his arm as a precaution and was trying to calm his nerves down. He knew his nerves would no longer be a problem once in the air, something which he was itching to do.

Soon the rest of the team were assembled and Angelina started on her pep talk while he sank into a semi conscious state. He was however shaken from his stupor when he realized after a few minutes that Angelina had stopped talking and her piercing brown eyes were locked on him.

"Err…yeah?" Fred and George were mouthing something frantically at him from behind her but they were making no sense at all.

"Good to see you're back in this world Harry. Our toughest match is only a few minutes away and you're here daydreaming."

"You stopped at '-we need to beat them no matter what it takes.'"

"If that was a guess you're pretty close mate." Fred chimed in.

"Yeah, I think that's the next line." George added, barely controlling his laughter as Angelina blushed slightly while the girls giggled. Ron was the only one who couldn't seem to get any words out.

"Harry if you aren't focused enough we might as well forfeit." The tension in the room rose again just as the whistle sounded, signaling the teams to come outside.

Nobody wanted to get up or speak, staring between Angelina who was still glaring at Harry who had his face down, his hair covering it from view. Finally after a few agonizing seconds he got up, shouldering his Firebolt and fixing his gaze back at her, his eyes no longer carrying their usual warmth.

"I'll do my job. You make sure everyone does theirs." He said quietly before leaving the room.

* * *

"And here are the Gryffindors! Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has to offer. Debut match for Ronald Weasley, latest addition to the team who will be filling Oliver Wood's spot." Lee Jordan shouted into his megaphone with a disapproving McGonagall at his side while Harry chuckled softly as they walked out onto the pitch.

"And approaching from the opposite end are the Slytherins, Flint seems to be rather confident this year given their humiliating def-…" Professor McGonagall had tugged the megaphone out of his reach admist laughter and boos from the crowds. "…won't happen again, sorry professor."

Back on the pitch Madam Hooch approached the two teams as they lined up, facing each other. Malfoy caught his eye and smirked. "Feeling a bit under the weather Potter? It's nearing to that time of the month again." His jaw clenched as he glared back at him. Fortunately nobody seemed to have heard him as they were watching Madam Hooch, Angelina and Flint who were stepping forward to shake hands.

"I want a clean game. All of you." Madam Hooch barked after both captains had finished trying to break each other's fingers. Despite being a girl Angelina seemed to have a good grip judging by her smirk and the grimace on Flint's face.

The locks snapped open and the two bludgers hurtled into the skies followed by the golden snitch which he kept track of before it disappeared out of sight.

"On my whistle...3…2…1…" He pushed off hard as soon as the whistle pierced the air, soaring higher than the rest of them with Malfoy mimicking him as the chasers formed a circle below them, the Quaffle floating at the middle. A second whistle pierced the air and the crowd's roar drowned everything else out. It had begun.

"And they're off! Angelina takes possession of the Quaffle, dodges Flint-nice reverse pass to Alicia-onto Katie-she's speeding towards the Slytherin goalposts, dodges Montague…Bletchley going for the save-HE MISSES! 10-0 WITH GRYFFINDOR IN THE LEAD!"

Harry let out a relieved sigh before continuing to circle the pitch. He only just managed to duck his head in time when a bludger came speeding at him, dangerously close to his head before glaring angrily at Bole, one of the beaters who was grinning stupidly at him. It wasn't long before another bludger came hurtling at his from his left throwing him off course as he was forced to swerve to avoid it.

During this time Alicia had managed to score another goal pulling the score another 10 points forward in their favor. Lee was shouting happily into the megaphone while the Slytherins in the crowds were booing loudly.

"Montague in possession, Alicia goes in for a steal but gets blocked by Flint. Warrington now in possession, passes back to Montague-to Flint-ouch, a bludger forces the Quaffle out of his hands and is taken by Angel-no, she's stopped by Warrington who manages to reclaim it. And he's flying towards the Gryffindor goalposts! Ronald's looking to save! He dives…ahh…" The Slytherin cheers were loud enough to drown everyone else's out as the Quaffle sailed right through Ron's outstretched hands and neatly through the middle hoop.

"20-10, and now it's Angelina back in possession…" Meanwhile Harry was having a hard time trying to keep an eye out of the snitch. Both the Slytherin beaters seemed to be marking him and only him and they kept forcing him to change directions. George was trying to keep up with him now, trying to keep the bludgers at bay but this was costing the team.

"20-20, Alicia in possession…" He thought he caught sight of a flash of gold a few feet in front and with his heart quickening he put on an extra spurt of speed. A bludger came hurtling at his head again, forcing him to bend as low as he could on his broom just as another one came at his side, almost making contact with him and forcing him to speed upwards before returning to his original course.

His heart leapt when he saw what he was chasing was indeed the snitch and not a trick of light. He managed to close the distance a few feet more before Malfoy suddenly crashed into him, forcing him dangerously close to the stadium walls just as _another _bludger imbedded itself into the wall at his side, exactly where he had been a second ago.

The game stretched on. He couldn't do anything with Derrick and Bole constantly on him, taking every chance they could to aim any bludgers passing by at him. He gave up trying to find the snitch and instead concentrated on blocking Malfoy at every turn and stick as close as he possibly could to him.

If they were going to keep aiming at him, he was going to make sure Malfoy was under the same threat as him. Judging by the panicked yells from Malfoy as both of them swerved away from each other to avoid getting hit by yet another bludger, this was not going as well as they'd hoped.

However the match was not at all going in their favor. Angelina, Katie and Alicia all managed to score 6 goals in between them over the span of 15 minutes however the Slytherins scored a grand total of 14 bringing the score 160-80 with Slytherin in the lead. It was as if the Gryffindor goalposts had no one guarding them. Ron kept shooting towards the wrong goalpost whenever the Quaffle approached him.

The Slytherins had started singing something and although he could not hear the whole thing due to the roar of the crowd and the wind in addition to Lee's commentary he did hear the words 'Weasley' and 'King' repeatedly.

The game steadily got dirtier unsurprisingly. The Slytherins were using whatever means they could to grab the Quaffle as it meant a sure score for them if none of the chasers were able to stop them. Angelina was getting increasingly edgy along with the rest of the team. Fred vented out his frustration by sending a bludger straight at Bletchley catching him off guard and slamming him against the Slytherin goalposts. The penalty awarded to the Slytherins ensured yet another goal in their favor.

10 minutes later Harry was beginning to lose hope. He had managed to spot the snitch only to find more bludgers come pelting his way whenever he tried to give chase. He was managing to keep Malfoy in check however but it was a small comfort. It seemed the Slytherins weren't intending to catch the snitch to win, they were instead concentrating on scoring as many goals as possible so that even if he managed to get to the snitch before Malfoy, it would be for nothing in the end.

The score was now 210-90 giving the Slytherins a lead of 120 points. If the Slytherins managed 4 more goals before he caught the snitch, it would render catching it a loss.

"Flint scores…220-90, Slytherin in the lead." Lee groaned into the megaphone. He growled under his breath, desperately looking around, trying to find any sign of the snitch. Meanwhile another klaxon sounded. He didn't need Lee's commentary anymore, Slytherin had scored again.

His heart leapt as he finally caught sight of it, flashing gold a few feet below him. Without a second thought he went into a dive. A bludger came whistling dangerously close again but he dodged it by performing the sloth grip roll.

Malfoy's elbowed him suddenly, forcing him off course momentarily before he managed to get back on track. The snitch was only a few meters away now and they both stretched out their hands towards it. No more bludgers came as the beaters were too afraid of hitting their own.

Just before either one of them could reach it however it changed directions, speeding back upwards and towards the Gryffindor side. He urged his broom back upwards, pulling out of the dive and urging it to stay on course, Malfoy close behind him.

The roar of the crowd was deafening and he could hear the Slytherins cheering happily. Momentarily distracted he looked up to find Flint speeding towards the goalposts, the Quaffle under his arm with a triumphant grin on his face.

Panic coursed through him. If Flint scored and he caught the snitch, it would be a tie. Making a split second decision he turned back to see Malfoy on his tail. Malfoy's eyes came up to meet his, his snobbish grin etched on his face and before he knew it, he'd lashed out with his foot which connected with a satisfying crunch on the blonde's nose.

Abandoning the snitch he changed course and flew straight at Flint whose eyes widened in fear when he saw the scarlet blur shooting at him. Flint couldn't move his broom in time as he collided into him, forcing the Quaffle out of his hands which dropped towards the floor. He could hear two shrill blasts of the whistle and knew Slytherin had probably been awarded two penalties for what he'd done. Refusing to acknowledge them he swerved around, looking around wildly just as time felt like it'd slown down and his vision changed,as if everything was covered in black and white except for a few notable exceptions.

The Quaffle was bright red, and the two black blurs which were speeding towards him probably were the bludgers. His eyes widened when he saw a golden blur just a few feet in front of him and immediately sped towards it, barely noticing how everything had changed before his eyes.

The snitch sped downwards again with him on its tail. His eyes were looking at nothing but the little golden ball but he paid dearly for it when a bludger slammed at his side causing a cry of pain to escape him. He barely had time to react as the other bludger slammed into his arm which was holding the broom steady causing him to lose control as he was flipped upside down.

Just as his grip loosened on the broom he made a wild snatch, his fingers closing around something solid before a second later he hit the ground, the momentum of the fall rolling him a few feet forward before he finally came to a stop as the pain caught up to him.

The dust set him coughing as he tried to sit up, trying to ignore the sharp pains at his side and arm which he knew had been broken. His glasses had cracked and his vision was slightly blurred.

The entire stadium was in an uproar as he got to his feet shakily, moving towards his Firebolt which was lying on the ground a few steps away from him. Picking it up he started walking towards the entrance just as Lee's commentary became audible to him again.

"It seems like Potter's alright! But…where's he going…?" Fred landed beside him, looking at him in concern and in answer he gave the snitch which was still beating its wings feebly against his hand to him whose face transformed into a look of utter shock as the stadium grew silent before a low rumble started up again as the crowd realized what had happened.

Yet he never looked back as he walked on, intent on getting as far away from all this as possible and trying to figure out why he could only see everything in black and white.

* * *

**AN: My favorite part, I get to talk and force everyone to listen. Ahem…read I mean…of course. **

**So yeah, it's been close to a month since I've updated. Life happened, I couldn't go on a gaming spree like I planned. Life really does suck you know? Unnecessary problems and all that. **

**Mid terms from college caught up to me too. I'm not too keen on dropping to a low GPA so I was forced to turn my attention to those boring old books. I have a week off now though so that's kind of a relief. **

**Thoughts on this chapter, hmm…still want to get past this whole Harry-in-Hogwarts stage but I'm nearing that point so the drive to write is coming back. Albeit slowly. **

**I'm trying something which I think hasn't been done a lot with Albus Dumbledore. (Haven't seen in many stories. Then again I never touch any Harry/Ginny or Harry/Hermione stories which are unfortunately what makes up more than 75% of HP fics be it on this site or others. It makes me wonder why people still cry so much if Hermione's ill treated in stories despite just how many stories are out there that put her on a golden pedestal next to Harry (sometimes even above him).**

**There are enough manipulative Dumbledore fics as it is. I want to forge a better level of trust between them and make something hopefully unique…which I quite truthfully have no idea how to pull off. 'Course some things cannot change…some things will do. We'll see how it goes. **

**I don't have the books so I really don't know if I wrote the Quidditch match properly. If there are any things I have to correct please drop me a review or PM it to me. I'll be more than grateful. **

**That's about it then...as always let me know what you all think. Oh yeah and despite how much I like Daphne and one of the OC's I created I will not add in them to the pairing. A number of people asked me about that one. Perhaps much later, on another story if I ever feel like it. **

**On a completely unrelated note, Metal Gear Rising is a must have for any hack n' slash fans. Side effects of playing the game include a new violent, bloodthirsty persona developing within you but it's well worth the trouble. **

**Hermione fans be wary. I do have a breaking point. My urge to kill is something that I can't satisfy IRL due to those things called laws. No one will miss a fictional character if she dies in a nasty, bloody, horrible 'accident' on the other hand. Well…no one except you *insane laughter*. **

**Sleepy now. Will go over this thing and correct any errors tomorrow. **

'**Night all. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry if anyone got trolled by the earlier update. Something went wrong during the upload and I had to delete this chapter. Trying again now.**

**As always thanks go out to all who reviewed, faved and followed. **

**I don't own the characters and stuff you recognize…everything else…yeah, that's all mine.**

**CHAPTER 23**

Poppy Promfey…or Madam Promfey as she is more widely known never failed to see the reasoning behind the game of Quidditch. No matter how many times it had been played it never failed to produce at least one player with more than a couple of broken bones.

Plenty of students had caused her multiple headaches with their injuries over her time serving as the matron for Hogwarts. Yet there was one student who had broken all records. Harry James Potter had spent more time in her hospital than anyone had in the past years over the course of their time in Hogwarts.

She knew it was quite unprofessional in her line of work, but she had gotten fond of the boy and took a lot more care in tending to him than she did with anyone else. That didn't mean that he didn't manage to infuriate her every single time though.

"Why…oh god why am I not surprised to see you back here…" She growled under her breath as she led him to a bed. "And what in the name of Merlin possessed you to come limping up here on your own? Where are your teammates? Is this the way they treat their own? I have half a mind to..." She trailed off muttering under her breath and surveying him.

He was limping and the way he was carrying his arm in that odd angle meant it was broken. On top of that his other hand was blocking his face from view and for some reason, was showing no signs of putting it down any time soon. How could anyone let him drag himself up here alone?

"It's not their fault. I didn't let anyone come with me." Her eyes narrowed at this.

"And why is that? What more have you done to yourself than breaking an arm and presumably a leg? I swear Harry if you tell me you went and got yourself deboned again I'll…" She was interrupted in her rant when he started laughing, his hand finally coming down although his eyes were closed. Thankfully there were no signs of damage on his face.

"Lockhart isn't around for that. I just couldn't wait to be back here…missed you a lot." She felt her stern expression melt against her will.

"Annoying brat." She murmured softly before poking his leg making him wince. "Well congratulations. You managed to break your leg too…literally. Please don't tell me you've done something to your eyes too." He still hadn't opened them and she was beginning to get worried.

"Err…not really. But…"

"Can you open them?" He nodded, his posture stiffening suddenly. He was nervous, that much she could see and instantly she knew something was wrong. "Open them for me." She said as gently as possible. "Here…I'm going to take off your glasses alright? Whatever it is, I can make it right." He nodded slowly and she took off his glasses. It wasn't until a few moments later did he open his eyes.

Whatever she was expecting, it was definitely not this.

His vivid green eyes were no longer the same. Instead they were a dark grey, the precise shade of the storm clouds that were gathering outside to be exact.

She couldn't help it; she was speechless as she stared at them. There was something unsettling about them that she couldn't place and she felt a shiver on her back as those eyes gazed at her. They just looked so…empty.

"Is something wrong?" He asked tentatively and she did a double take. He didn't know? Clearing her throat she conjured a mirror, giving it to him and watched as his eyes widened in shock.

"W-what is this? Why are they…" For perhaps the first time since she'd known him, she could sense a note of fear in his voice making her feel oddly protective of the boy.

"Calm down." She said softly, doing her best to put him at ease. "Do you feel any different? Has anything changed?" She waited patiently, giving him time. He was still staring at the mirror and didn't seem to be able to tear his gaze away.

"I can see clearer." He murmured quietly, finally looking up.

"You don't need your glasses?" He shook his head.

"Now I don't. When I opened my eyes it was all blurry but now I see as if I was wearing them." He closed his eyes again before opening them a few seconds. "I…can't see color."

"You're colorblind?" She asked distractedly, now tracing her wand gently around his eyes and performing a diagnostic charm. The results were all turning out to be normal.

"I…can see some though."

"What do you mean?" He was gazing at her wand and she looked down at it too before looking back up. "Go on."

"Your wand has a…sort of a green glow around it." He said haltingly.

"My wand?" She looked up in surprise. "Green you say? Anything else in the room?"

"No…nothing. Wait…my necklace…" He trailed off, pulling it out and looking at it intently. She was well and honestly stumped. This was unlike anything she'd seen before let alone heard about. Or even read about for that matter.

Moving to get up her hand brushed against his leg accidentally making him wince, something which was not gone unnoticed by her as she mentally slapped herself. She'd completely forgotten about them!

"Keep still." She commanded, mentally berating herself for overlooking them as he nodded meekly.

Barely a minutes passed before his leg and arm were bandaged accordingly and he was administered two simple potions which would work on mending the bones slowly. Surprisingly he drank them without a fuss.

Just as he'd finished footsteps were heard from outside and his eyes opened slowly just as she was getting up.

"I don't want to see them." He muttered quietly.

"What makes you think I was going to let them? I was going to turn them away anyway." This was only a half truth. She had been intending to let them through if he wanted it. It did irk her that he wouldn't want them but that was none of her business.

It turned out to be his teammates outside. "Sorry, I'm afraid I can't let you in at this time."

"But Madam Promfey!" One of the twins cried.

"Is there anything wrong with him?" Alicia asked worriedly.

"Nothing serious, but I stand by my decision. He needs rest. I trust none of you are injured?" They shook their heads. Good, that would make things easier. "Out, now." Ignoring their protests she shut the door before going back to find him rubbing his eyes vigorously.

"Stop that! You'll make it worse!"

"No, actually I'm starting to see normally again." He said brightly and went back to rubbing his eyes before he was stopped when she grabbed his hand forcefully.

"You might be causing more harm than good. Now either you will stop rubbing them like a maniac and let me get a good look at them or I tie your free hand to the bed. Which is it?" He stopped immediately and looked up at her with a grin.

"Never knew you were into _that _kind of things."

"I will force feed you skele-grow if you d-"

"NO! I'm done." He yelped, cutting her off. Sighing she took a closer look at his eyes. They were still the same dark grey but there were streaks of green mixed with them.

"Won't lie…I've never seen anything like this before." She murmured, leaning back with a sigh. "Some of the original color is returning so I think we better leave it be and see what happens. You don't feel any discomfort do you?"

"The bandage itches." Was his answer and she pinched the bridge of her nose while he smiled innocently up at her. At least he didn't seem to be panicked anymore and was reverting to his old self. That was a good thing right?

* * *

Harry couldn't tell exactly why he was feeling so relieved when he woke up at the morning to find himself in the hospital wing before his memories from the evening before came flooding back to him.

His eyesight was as bad as always and reaching blindly over he took hold of his glasses from the bedside table and put them on before heaving a sigh of relief. His vision was back to normal.

"You're awake then." A voice floated in and he pushed himself up straighter on the bed and smiled at the matron before realizing his arm that had been broken was as good as new too. "I removed them earlier in the morning. Your bandages I mean." Poppy said lightly, noticing his surprised look as he stared at his arm.

"Thanks."

"What about your eyes? Everything alright?" He nodded, blinking a few times just to make sure for himself.

"Back to normal. The color…?" He trailed off, gazing up at her.

"You've got your mother's eyes again." She assured him. He nodded thankfully. To be honest, he had scared himself when he'd looked into the mirror during the change. Only his eyes had stood out in his reflection with a silvery glow to them. Poppy had told him that they were more of a grayish color…he was going to have to take her word for it seeing as he couldn't confirm it for himself.

It had been a weird experience. During the Quidditch match it was like something had snapped in him and brought about this change. Now that he thought about it, he could distinctly remember something like this happening when he'd almost killed himself with his 'experiment' and if he thought further back, didn't the same thing happen when he had almost lost it and attacked Ginny?

Either way, he was not looking forward to it happening again. This had been the first time it had persisted for so long and he had a feeling it was not something he could control. At least for now. Before he could figure that out he needed to know exactly _what _it was that was happening to him.

"Still no luck with what happened to me?" He asked tentatively.

"I'm sorry Harry. I spent most of last night going through some of my notes. I really don't know what it was that happened to you. In any case I informed the headmaster about it along with professor McGonagall and they are looking into it too."

"It's alright." She smiled at him before pointing at the door next to her office.

"Go get yourself freshened up and I'll get you your lunch. The headmaster will also be dropping by to talk to you later." He nodded and started getting to his feet before turning back to her in alarm.

"Lunch?! What's the time?"

"Oh I think it's about two in the afternoon now." His mouth fell open in shock while she laughed.

"I slept for that long?! You gave me a potion didn't you?" He asked accusingly.

"It was the only way I could keep you here. Else you would have gone running off in the morning." She said nonchalantly while clearing the empty potion vials off his bedside table.

"Nooooo…" He moaned as a feeling of dread settled in his chest. "She'll kill me."

"Who?"

"Fleur…I was going to write to her but…"

"Oh…well, I don't envy you for one. Especially if she comes bursting back here." He was ashamed to say that part of him secretly hoped that was true. Something about his thoughts must have shown on his face because the matron cooed softly.

"You want her here don't you? Well…I won't say that it would be a bad thing having her around, at least I know you listen to her and it'll be much easier to control you." He growled, recognizing the truth behind her words as he shakily got to his feet.

After freshening up and changing into some new clothes he proceeded to check the diary while eating but found to his surprise that she had not written anything at all. This worried him slightly; she knew he had a Quidditch match and had made him swear that he'd write to her afterwards no matter what. In fact, the last time she'd written to him was on the morning before the match. Afterwards there was nothing, no clue to show that she had even tried to reach him.

To make things worse she wasn't responding to what he was writing now although part of him was telling him that it was probably because she was at work. He even tried turning to their bond and although he could feel a slight warmth reminiscent of how he always felt when she was near him, he could get nothing more.

Fleur was able to reach out to him through their bond, it was something she told him that helped her get along most of the time. The past few weeks it had been getting stronger and it had benefited both of them as he could in turn get the feeling that she was near him constantly.

The thing he hated about it was that without her help he still couldn't quite 'grasp' it. That was exactly what was happening now. She'd been understanding and kept assuring him time and again that he will eventually come to grips with it. The bond was a result of her magic and although he now shared her magic, he was still unaccustomed to it and as such couldn't tap into it without her. Yet.

This was causing him no small amount of distress now as he kept trying every few minutes hoping for some kind of response. This wasn't like her at all, she wouldn't have just not written to him. After his fairly recent idiocy leading to her not talking to him she had promised that it wouldn't happen again. She wouldn't ignore him if she had a choice.

Needless to say he was stressing himself more and more as the minutes slowly ticked by, trying to keep his mind from jumping to bad conclusions and was starting to think if there was any way he could convince Dumbledore to let him go see her when the doors to the hospital wing banged open.

His spirits immediately plummeted when he saw it was only Dumbledore, for a moment he'd thought it would be Fleur.

"Ah Harry! I hope you are feeling better now?"

"Yes sir, thanks."

"I assume you still aren't cleared to leave yet? In which case I have some things to discuss with you." Dumbledore said lightly, already conjuring a comfortable looking armchair next to his bed as he was speaking.

"Yes sir. But I have something I wanted to ask you…"

"Ask away." He stared at the headmaster. The old man was being far too cheerful, it was almost as if…

"Is there any way I could leave Hogwarts for a day? I need to…" Dumbledore held up his hand, cutting him off.

"I assume it's about Miss Delacour? I have news on that which is precisely why I came to see you." If he wasn't worried before, he certainly was now as his blood turned cold. "Hold on my boy, there's absolutely nothing to be worried about."

"What happened…I can't reach her I…"

"I know you are worried but I can put your worries to rest." Dumbledore said gently. "Please give me the chance to explain, her father contacted me although he wanted to check on you first. Something _has _happened but I assure you that Miss Delacour is perfectly alright."

It took a while as he tried to calm himself down. His nerves were always on the breaking point when it came to her and what Dumbledore had told him had pushed them over the edge. However he knew that if he wanted answers, he was going to have to control himself.

"Please sir…what happened to her?" He asked quietly and the headmaster smiled at him and patted his arm consolingly.

"Good to see you managed to calm down. As I've said, she is perfectly fine. She's in a sort of a magical sleep…she'll be waking up soon!" He added, at the sight of his face. "Mr. Delacour wanted me to first and foremost assure you that she's fine, I'm sure you'll be more than willing to take his word over mine."

He had the decency to blush as Dumbledore's words rang true although the headmaster didn't seem to mind from his quiet chuckles.

"Poppy told me about what happened to y-…"

"What happened to her?" He asked again, allowing a bit of steel to enter his voice. He knew he was a bit rude but he wasn't in the mood for talking about himself now and it seemed Dumbledore had gotten the message.

"Ah…I believe she has undergone Veela maturation. In other words she is now a full blooded Veela in her own right." He gaped at the headmaster.

"Full Veela? But I thought she already was one." He asked, remembering what Apolline had told him, the time when she'd asked if it would make any difference to him.

"That is true." Dumbledore agreed, bowing his head. "However there is a bit more to her gifts than that. I take it you don't know much about her heritage?" He shook his head.

"I only know what mo-Apolline and Alana told me. I understand about the mark and…" He blushed again, remembering more sensitive things that Apolline had taken delight in teasing him about along with Fleur. He cleared his throat. "…some other things." He finished lamely making the headmaster laugh, his eyes twinkling in full force.

"What is meant by Veela maturation is that in a Veela's eyes, she has become an adult." Dumbledore chuckled at the look he was giving him.

"You see…when Veela are born their own brand of magic is at its weakest, apart from the obvious physical signs that they are born with of course. As they age their inherent magic starts to show…such as their 'dangerous' allure which is, as you know, the primary reason why they are perceived in a negative light due to jealous women around the world." He smiled at that. The way Dumbledore said it in a matter-of-fact tone was amusing.

"Apart from puberty…oh come now Harry you are more mature than that." The headmaster said in amusement when he looked away.

"Let's skip that part?" He begged. The last thing he wanted was to have this sort of talk with the headmaster.

"But why? It is a natural thing. If I truly wanted to embarrass you I would give you the 'birds and bees' talk." Dumbledore replied smoothly and grinned at his horror struck expression. "Not to worry, I'm certain you have enough education on that from Miss Delacour already."

"Sir!" He yelped, blushing furiously now and he heard laughter from the corner of the room, turning to find Poppy struggling to compose herself while Dumbledore was twiddling his thumbs, a benign smile on his face although his eyes were alight with mischief.

"Before yesterday Miss Delacour was not quite in touch with her heritage as she is now. In other Veela's eyes she was only halfway along. She was put to sleep because of the toll it took on her body due to the minor transformations it was undergoing."

"Transformations?" He echoed, gazing at the headmaster.

"Alas I do not know much about that Harry. But I'm sure they won't be much to worry about. She herself will tell you about them soon I daresay…but this brings us to something that is unique about what happened. You see, she was not supposed to mature into a full Veela so soon. The minimum age before a Veela matures is said to be at least twenty four years of age. Miss Delacour is only a few years above you so…her family were quite surprised."

"But that doesn't change anything right? There's nothing wrong with it?" He asked worriedly.

"Harry…Harry…Harry…" The headmaster sighed. "What have I been telling you over the past few minutes?" He blushed and nodded although the headmaster was smiling kindly at him. "I can't say I know how you're feeling now but I know you couldn't bear it if anything happened to her. I beg you to take my word that she is fine."

"I will." He muttered. "Sorry."

"Nothing to worry about my boy, but this brings us to you." He nodded while watching the headmaster curiously as he leaned back against the armchair, his eyes growing distant. "I have a suspicion that Miss Delacour's unforeseen change is because of the bond you two share. From what Poppy told me along with my own observations it has led me to believe that you somehow were the trigger for this change."

"I…what do you mean sir?"

"I noticed something yesterday during your match. Towards the end, something changed did it not? Although I must say that was some impressive flying." He added making Harry blush and mumble his thanks. "Could you describe what happened in detail?"

For the next few minutes he told him as much as he could about what had happened. By the end of it Dumbledore was looking pensive.

"I don't have a concrete answer to what you experienced Harry. It seems unlikely but I may have something…"

"I looked through everything I had Albus, yet I never came across something even remotely similar to what he experienced." Poppy said, looking at him.

"Ah but you were looking for a magical ailment yes?" The matron nodded while he looked curiously between her and Dumbledore. "I don't believe you were searching in the correct place."

"You were saying you had an idea sir?" He asked earnestly, cutting off any further questions Poppy had who look at him indignantly as he smiled apologetically at her.

"Fine, I'll leave you to listen to Albus's crazy theories." She sniffed before walking away.

"And here I thought she had a kind heart and would never hurt an old man's feelings" Dumbledore said quietly although his eyes were alight with amusement.

"I heard that!" Harry grinned as he turned back to the headmaster who was chuckling as he watched the matron's retreating back.

"Anyway Harry…yes…as I've said I do have something but it's nothing concrete."

"Have a guess then." Dumbledore chuckled.

"From what I could gather, you have an ability to perceive magic as it is, in its natural form. A sort of…second sight."

"Magic as it is…" He muttered, thinking back to what he'd seen. It made sense in a way, remembering that the colors he'd seen were only on the wands, the Quaffle, the bludgers and the snitch which were obviously carrying enchantments. "Why is it that everything else was in black and white?"

"I think that is a way to help you focus more clearly on what you _need. _During the match you say that you could only see the color on the balls right? In other words everything that does not matter for you at that moment literally ceased to matter to you…the blocking out of colors generated an illusion for you in other words, enabling you to focus solely on your goal."

"How did I do that?" He asked curiously.

"I don't have the answer to that unfortunately. You say this was the first time this happened?"

"This was the first time it stayed for such a long time." He muttered, racking his brains as he thought back. Dumbledore sat up straighter on his chair.

"It has happened before?"

"Yeah, although it's been too fleeting at times." He trailed off, his eyes widening when he remembered the night at the graveyard.

"Can you tell me if you can remember any?" He didn't answer right as he steeled himself before eventually recounting the moment in the graveyard after Voldemort had finished torturing him with memories of his mother's last moments and given him back his wand. Silence followed for an unnaturally long time afterwards.

"I might have been wrong about my previous assumption." Dumbledore said finally before removing his glasses and cleaning them up on the hem of his robes.

"A certain group of people existed back then, well before the time of the founders. They had abilities which allowed them to be right at home in a battlefield. In addition to possessing 'mage sight' as was depicted in those days they had faster perceptions and an uncanny ability to erase their emotions at any given moment in addition to being able to amplify their magic to dangerous levels during that of death, emotions that would make a normal person think twice, none of that impeded them."

"You can see how effective this would have been? Emotions can get to the best of us, distracting us at the worst possible times. People who lose them release those chains, enabling them to bring out their full potential."

"You think that…" He began apprehensively only to be cut off by Dumbledore.

"In a way…forgive me, but to this day I remain impressed at how you came out alive that night. Despite how Voldemort tried to torture you, cripple you mentally, you stood up and fought unflinchingly. I know you are an extraordinarily strong person Harry, no doubt about that. But no one could ever have done what you did after having to endure everything you did."

He sighed before running a hand over his hair, trying to get rid of the headache he was feeling that was coming on. Could he have something like this? He didn't even know what this was. Was it something to do with Death, his dreams, or something else entirely?

"What happened to them? The people who had this…thing? Who were they?"

"The earliest group who had this gift was an old family that went by the name 'Deidre'. From then on it gets murky, I'm sure you could trace them up to a time before the statue of secrecy was introduced before you will lose track. I myself among so many others were fascinated by them and there have been many attempts to find them over the years. There have been no clues to why they suddenly disappeared, but a number of theories exist. It is believed that their line died out along with others that refused to mix with the new blood. Perhaps they did in fact mix and their family name changed overtime."

"Nevertheless it has been lost for more than a couple hundred years and there have been no known records of anyone possessing the power or anything even close to what you have. If you are a descendent or not, we may never know."

Dumbledore sighed before looking out at the window, the skies were rapidly forming storm clouds again.

"Do you know why purebloods hold certain positions in the wizarding world that seem unfair to others Harry?" He shook his head confusedly. "Back then, before the wizarding secrecy act was put into effect, witches and wizards throughout the world were regarded in fear by muggles who stopped at nothing to 'purge' them from the land." He nodded; he was no stranger to medieval burnings. After all Binns had been droning on and on about it for the past few years.

"After Hogwarts was built, under the majority of the founder's urging they began looking for children of muggle families who showed signs of magic and stating taking them in to teach them about magic. This helped spread our numbers and eventually allowed magic to remain due to the mixed blood that emerged from it." Dumbledore said softly, his eyes misting over.

"The reason why so many purebloods are against this is because they believe blood is being tainted. If we look at it in one way, then yes…there is in fact some truth to it." He looked up in shock, the last person who would believe in the pureblood ideals was Dumbledore. "No, Harry…you misunderstand me. I'm not saying I'm agreeing with them. The mixing of blood helped us survive but there were prices to be paid."

"One such price was that our magic was weakened, the offspring born off a magical and non magical being were never quite as…potent as the others. Magic that was exclusive only to certain families, families who possessed unique magical traits and gifts found them disappearing. Their children never showed signs of having inherited them." The headmaster turned his gaze back to him.

"You possess something that is quite rare, perhaps even rarer than the gift of parseltongue. As luck would have it, I'm merely taking a few guesses here, but the way I see it… a dormant ability which might have been passed from generation to generation in your ancestors might have finally awakened in you."

"Well…couldn't we find where it comes from then? If I do have this thing, it must be from my father's side right? If we trace back from there…"

"Don't be so sure Harry, just because a person is muggle born does not mean that their ancestors never had magic at some point." He looked up in surprise.

"You mean my mother's family?" Dumbledore nodded sagely.

"How do you think muggleborns arise? There is a belief that any muggleborn witch or wizard had ancestors they could trace back who had magical blood in their veins. How else could these witches or wizards born to parents without magical talent posses it? The existence of squibs can be explained the same way. Family traits skip generations and even then not all traits are passed along. Alas, that is a theory which is widely discredited among purebloods despite the lack of logic."

He couldn't help himself from groaning, both from the amount of new questions that were forming in his head and the sheer amount of information he was trying to possess.

"It's a bit much to take in isn't it?" The headmaster asked with a small smile. He looked up exasperatedly making him chuckle before silence settled as the two were left to their thoughts.

"You said something about me being the trigger for Fleur's...?" He asked quietly after a few moments..

"You know by now that thanks to the bond you both share magic? Good, I believe that due to your own ah…awakening of sorts, you stirred Miss Delacour's magic too, pushing her towards her maturation."

"When you say that…" He began worriedly before Dumbledore held up his hand, silencing him.

"As I said before, Veela maturity is based solely on magic so in other words you could say that she's at her pinnacle. You will also reach that state too in another two years as is normal with normal witches and wizards at least but I think it will be safe to expect that you might be pushed towards it faster due to the bond. Who knows?"

He nodded, propping himself back against the bed more comfortably as he let everything sink in. Finally after what felt like a long time Dumbledore got up and stifled a yawn before a chastised look immediately appeared on his face.

"My apologies…I best be going. I'm sure you haven things to take care of." He grinned back.

"The match, who won?"

"Why you did of course! I believe Gryffindor won by ten points. That reminds me…fifty points to Gryffindor should be in order in light of some excellent flying,." The headmaster added with a smile and a wink. "Now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Delacour is waiting for my call. He was quite worried that you might have been affected in some way too. Anything you want me to pass on to him?"

"Erm…Tell him I said thanks but…try and ask him to get a message to Fleur?" He asked hopefully, unable to hide the strain from his voice.

"Of course."

* * *

Fleur Isabelle Delacour could not remember feeling so irritated as she did when she woke up to find there was no one beside her. She could vividly remember lying contently against the chest of a certain raven haired wizard just a few minutes ago but now it was like he was never there.

"'Arry?" She called uncertainly, sitting. Strange, this room was different from the one she was used to. It was then it hit her as her memories came rushing back. _It was just a dream _she thought with a sinking feeling, remembering the feeling of being back in his arms. Barely a few seconds passed before the door to the room burst open and her mother came in.

"_Dear? What's wrong? Do you need anything…" _She quickly gathered the covers up, hiding her bare chest.

"_Mother?" _She asked weakly as Apolline hugged her gently as she struggled to keep the covers from slipping off.

"_You gave us quite the scare when Madame Bonnel told us that you had fainted and that they were unable to wake you." _Faint? Yes…now she could remember. She had been talking to Colette when all of the sudden she'd felt as if something had ignited within her, burning her from the inside before everything had gone dark.

"_What happened to me? And why don't I have any of my clothes?" _She asked the last part quietly.

"_Your clothes…let's just say you were having a not so innocent dream." _Her mother said with a sly grin, laughing at the expression of dawning horror on her face. _"Don't worry, I locked the door and placed a silencing charm over it. I never knew my quiet flower was actually rather vocal." _

"_Mom!"_ She yelped, feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks as a more detailed memory of her dream surfaced at her mother's words while Apolline's tinkling laughter filled the air.

"_Sorry. I'm just relieved there's nothing wrong with you." _She allowed herself to lean against her mother's arms briefly before looking up.

"_How long has it been before I woke up?"_

"_Hmm…you've been out since yesterday morning." _She glanced at the clock and gasped, it was nearing nighttime.

"_My diary…where…" _She murmured, trying to sit up straight only to find herself overcome by a dizzying sensation.

"_Stop that, take things slowly." _Apolline commanded firmly, pushing her gently back to the bed. _"You can talk to him later."_

"_But…" _She fell silent at her mother's glare. Nevertheless she couldn't help the weight on her chest, despite Harry's reassurances she hated the idea of him playing. It wasn't without reason though…given what she'd learnt from Daphne and the others about how he'd fallen off his broom during one match. Since then she'd been on the edge of asking him to quit, the only thing preventing her from doing so being that he loved flying.

"_He's fine." _Her mother's voice cut into her thoughts making her look up quickly. _"We were worried that he might have been affected too but he's alright. Your father's already checked on him. Speaking of which I think he'll be coming home soon…" _

"_Affected?" _She interrupted. _"By what?"_

"_You are an adult now. In our eyes." _Apolline added gently at her confused look. She didn't understand what she was talking about for a few moments before her eyes widened in realization, remembering something Alana had explained to her so many years ago.

"_My magic?" _Her mother nodded. _"But…I thought…you said that won't be for another few years at least." _

"_That's what surprised us too. But your grandmother and one of her friends confirmed it when they came to check on you. We can't tell why it happened so soon but we think it might be because you're already bonded…although we still can't see why it happened so fast as it has barely been over a few months since you were both marked."_

She nodded absentmindedly, not really listening. Something felt wrong, the feeling of emptiness that she'd grown accustomed to since she'd last seen him felt worse.

"_I…can't feel it." _She murmured, feeling a weight settle on her chest. _"I can't…" _

"_Don't worry." _Apolline said gently, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. _"It hasn't been broken. You're still getting adjusted to your magic again, as soon as you do you'll feel it again. Come on…let's get you up." _She added, seeing her daughter's distraught expression. Both Alana and Vivienne, the Veela representative who had come to check on Fleur had warned that this might happen.

Half an hour later Fleur was sitting up comfortably against a pillow, dressed in a comfortable pair of shorts and shirt. She was still feeling slightly weak and unable to get up without help but that was slowly diminishing. She could also feel the empty feeling in her being filled again, albeit slowly signaling that her magic was returning and thereby the bond was slowly reestablishing itself.

It also helped that Apolline finally gave back the diary and she'd wasted no time in writing to Harry who had immediately responded to her relief.

After reassuring him multiple times that there was nothing wrong with her, something which made her happy and yet slightly irritated at the same time, she proceeded to interrogate him about the match although the most she got out of him was that he had a 'small' injury.

Unfortunately she could not hide her weariness from him despite the fact that they were miles apart. He'd asked…no, ordered her to stop writing and get some rest. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she remembered the '_please?' _that had appeared no less than five seconds later. Despite still feeling uneasy, sleep took her far more easily than she'd thought.

The next morning held a few surprises for her.

The first time she'd looked in the mirror after stepping into the washroom froze her in place.

She had started taking pride in how she looked, mainly because she loved her Veela heritage now thanks to her Harry. As a Veela they were as close to perfect as anyone could be, at least in the physical sense…having everything and more which normal women strove for. Now it seemed that whatever imperfections had been on her body were nonexistent; there were a few areas where she could see she'd filled out slightly, while some areas had become smoother, giving her what could only be described as a perfect 'hourglass shape'.

Some changes were very subtle, yet they could easily be noticed. Or maybe it was just noticeable to her. Her skin had become slightly paler and additionally most of the bruises and small cuts which she had sustained over the years had vanished apart from the ones that ran deep, notably the ones she'd sustained from the third task when the monstrous spider had captured her and the scar that served as an ugly reminder to why she couldn't let a boy get more than a few feet near her before meeting Harry.

One thing she noticed however was that there was a particular area near her mark, just below her neck which had been bruised slightly. It served as one of the reminders of a very passionate night they'd spent together before he'd left for Hogwarts. Despite how light it was compared to the scars and other small marks left behind, it had persisted, something which pleased her a lot. It was yet another sign that showed she already belonged to someone.

What had her surprised the most however were her eyes. She could vividly remember his eyes, how they seemed to glow whenever he looked at her. It was one of the things she loved about them. It seemed like her eyes had taken after them, a faint glow making them appear a few shades lighter than the normal blue she'd remembered.

All this had her mentally groaning at the thought of going back to work tomorrow where she was already having enough trouble keeping males, and even a few females away from her. However a more impure thought crossed her mind; if this meant it was easier to get Harry to lose his usual control and take her without regard of the consequences as he'd done the night on top of the Eiffel tower, it would be worth it.

After taking a short shower and completing the normal morning routine, she found a familiar face sitting at the dining table.

"Sirius! 'Ow are you?" She asked brightly, coming up behind Harry's shaggy haired godfather.

"Hey Fleur I…ah…" His words were lost in his throat. She had to stifle a laugh as she watched his eyes glaze over making him look positively comical. Normally she'd have been offended at this but like Harry always said, that was his godfather and he was always going to be like that. Apolline sighed before getting up pinching his arm rather painfully, judging by the oddly doglike yelp that escaped him. "That hurt woman!"

"I will not allow you to ogle at my daughter like a piece of meat even if eet's just you Sirius."

"I was not!" He whined, looking up at both her and her mother with wide, innocent eyes. "But really Fleur…you've become a…" He was cut off when Apolline pinched him again. "What's wrong with you?! Can't I complement her?" Fleur was having trouble keeping her face straight as she watched the two. It looked so much like a boy who was caught being naughty by his mother.

"I know you Monsieur Black…in your book ze line between flirting and complementing is invisible. Or maybe I should tell 'Arry you're making passes at…"

"Okay! I'll stop!" He crossed his arms and let out a huff, avoiding her and Apolline's eyes. Her mother rolled her eyes and picked up the empty plate in front of him before making her way towards the kitchen only to be blocked by the two house elves who appeared out of nowhere, taking the plates from her despite her protests. As soon as she'd disappeared inside the kitchen Sirius called after her, "You're just jealous that your daughter's more of a looker than you."

Apolline's screech coupled with Sirius turning into a dog and bounding up the stairs with her hot on his heels had her struggling to keep herself from falling off her seat. Sirius knew exactly which buttons to push to make her mother mad and seemed to take great delight in doing so although the ending was never benign to him.

Sure enough, he was sitting in front of her while she was tending to some burns on his face.

"That stings…" He whined as she traced her wand around a reddish part on his cheek. Minor wounds were not so much of a challenge, especially ones caused by heat.

"Eizzer you let me do zis or I let mamman take care of eet." She murmured softly, shutting any further comments out of him. "Zere, all done…now…" She looked pointedly at her mother who was watching them haughtily from the doorway, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. "I believe you 'ave somezing to say to 'im."

"But 'e…" It was amazing how her own mother fell silent at her glare. "I'm sorry Sirius."

"For?" He prodded, barely concealing his grin.

"…" Sirius's grin grew wider while she watched them, barely able to hide her own grin. Her mother looked even more spoilt than Gabrielle.

"I can't hear you…"

"For throwing fire at your face." Apolline mumbled.

"And?"

"…burning off your beard."

"And you Sirius?" She prodded, making his grin slide off to be replaced by a chastised look.

"I'm sorry for teasing you all the time." Her mother continued to glare at him but her features softened slightly. "Hug it out?" Sirius asked, getting up.

"Down boy…even I wouldn't want my mozzer subjected to zat." Apolline snorted before dissolving into a fit of giggles while a positively wounded look crossed his face.

Finally after a few minutes of apologizing coupled with a peace offering, a slice of Apolline's homemade cake, they were able to pull Sirius out of his minor tantrum. She knew her mother had a soft spot for Sirius, kind of like the relationship Harry had with her friends. She couldn't help wondering how they had become so close, something which she mental note of asking about later.

"So…Veela maturity eh?" Sirius asked, leaning back on his chair after thanking the house elf that took his plate away. "Seriously though, if you were gorgeous before…there are no words left to describe you." He finished with a small smile, the mischief from earlier gone from his eyes.

"Merci." She murmured, bowing her head and trying to hide her face.

"Of course you know Harry will be stuttering like an idiot when he sees you." She laughed, an evil smirk tugging on her lips.

"I am planning for zat." Sirius grinned widely before reaching inside his robes and pulling out a scroll of parchment and handing it to her.

"What's zis?" She asked, taking it just as her mother came up behind her.

"Oh! Eet's done now?!" Apolline exclaimed happily. Sirius just nodded towards it, silently urging her to open it. Wondering what they were talking about she flipped it open, taking note of the official French Ministry's seal imprinted on it as she did.

A few minutes passed as she scanned it, getting happier as each line passed. Finally after reaching the end she looked up, barely able to contain her smile.

"So 'Arry's going to be a permanent French citizen now?"

"Yep. Just a couple more weeks before the English Ministry lose their hold on him and he'll be free to walk out." Unable to contain herself she rushed into her mother's arms, engulfing her in a tight hug making her laugh before returning her embrace just as tightly. Relief the likes of which she never knew was flooding through her. It was done…it really was done. He was going to be with her again! And this time, she wasn't going to let him slip through her grasp.

"Why a few more weeks?" Apolline asked.

"That's the time it will take to move his trust fund including the Potter family vault over here. Also that's how long it will take to erase the Potter family name from the Hogwarts roster. It's a bit of a long process, getting rid of certain contracts dating years before James or Lily were even born."

"You never told me about zat." Fleur said softly, extricating herself from Apolline. Her mother too looked curious so Sirius sighed before sitting running his hand through his hair.

"It was actually Dumbledore's idea." At this her eyes widened.

"Dumbledore's…? But you said zat 'e was someone we were going to 'ave to be careful about."

"Yeah yeah…I know…" He muttered sheepishly. "But he made an oath…a magical oath that he wanted to make everything up to Harry…saying he realized a few things and I dunno…said a lot of other stuff. Harry'll probably tell you…I get the feeling Dumbledore's hiding something…but it's all working in our favor. Harry wrote a letter to me too, saying that we could trust him. I do get the feeling he's hiding something too…but either way, I'm sure if anyone could get it out of him, it'll be you." He finished lamely, looking up hopefully at her. "So…do you know something I don't?"

"No, 'e 'asn't told me anyzing." She replied honestly. It was true, Harry never mentioned the headmaster…or gave any signs that he knew he was going to be able to leave Hogwarts.

"Ah well…for later I guess…"

"You were saying ze Potter name was going to be removed from 'Ogwarts?" Apolline asked.

"Yeah, Harry's name has been down from the day he was born. It's sort of like a contract. Basically any magical family in England has their names recorded in Hogwarts. Their children will attend Hogwarts…their children's children will also, as per the contract, attend Hogwarts...and so on and so forth."

"Really? But zat isn't 'ow eet works 'ere…" She murmured softly. That sounded a little worrisome. They weren't forced to go to Beauxbatons, they actually had choices from numerous countries.

"I know. It would be breaking the law if an English witch or wizard attended any other school than Hogwarts. That's a way the English ministry keeps track of their own, making sure that they don't lose 'their' people." He muttered scathingly. "Basically the bottom line is…you can't leave until you are an adult."

"Zat's preposterous!" Apolline fumed. "Eet's like robbing people's rights!"

"Hey I agree with you. Robbing people's rights is what they do best. But yeah, it's not impossible to remove a name from the roster...just takes some money and a few well placed contacts. I think purebloods are exempt from that rule…but that's probably because they all have half the ministry in their pockets. That part actually helped me with this...never thought I'd be grateful I am part of the Black family." His eyes grew distant before shaking himself back to reality. "Anyway, once that's done and the Potter's family vault is moved from English soil, Fudge and the ministry will have no hold over Harry." He finished with a smirk.

"And zere's nozzing more zat zey can do to force 'im back?" She asked tentatively.

"Not a thing. Unless of course you two decide you want to move back…which won't be happening soon." He said with a shrug, catching sight of her expression. "So…You going to write to him and tell him the good news or…" She merely smiled, her eyes glowing slightly. She already left him behind at that place twice, this time she was going to bring him back.

* * *

"POTTER!" A loud screech froze everyone in the corridor. Everyone except said wizard standing at the middle, his usually tied back hair falling untidily on his shoulders. "NEVER IN ALL MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN SUCH…SUCH…" Umbridge seemed to be struggling to get the words out.

"…What? I haven't got all day." He muttered before yawning. It was still rather early in the morning and it wasn't like he was getting any sleep to save his life. Ignoring everyone he crouched down before carelessly rolling the unconscious form of Malfoy aside. His expression brightened when he spotted Fleur's hairband, taking it and after casting a thorough cleaning charm on it (it had been under Malfoy), he tied his hair back before turning back to Umbridge. "What?"

"You attacked three students! Without provocation! Blatant disrespect to a school teacher on top of that!"

"Why don't you actually teach something first, we'll go from there." It had slipped out without warning. Perhaps it was the weird mix of the tiredness and adrenaline due to what happened just a few moments ago, but it felt like he had lost some of his usual control.

The thing was, Malfoy had not taken kindly to what he did at the last match. None of the Slytherins had….except for Daphne who had been positively delighted. It turned out that he'd broken Malfoy's nose rather badly, leaving an ugly scar on it which according to Poppy, was going to take a few weeks to diminish.

So Malfoy and his two sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle had been searching for opportunities to get back at him ever since he'd returned to school from the hospital wing. He'd avoided them for a few days but today just as he had entered the 4th floor corridor, they'd done the thing he least expected and attacked him in front of everyone. If attacking meant Crabbe pulling his hair from the back rather hard.

The big oaf had managed to remove his hairband, something which angered him far more than it should have and he'd retaliated by punching him straight at the midsection causing him to throw up part of his breakfast. Normally that wouldn't happen but seeing the amount they ate, it wasn't a surprise. Either way, it was not a pretty sight.

Of course Malfoy had followed up by casting a cutting curse while Goyle cast a surprisingly moderate stunner. Unfortunately they had not changed at all since the last time they'd tried to attack him while he had gone through a lot more than a schoolboy's quarrel. Swatting the two curses away towards the crowds making them screech and run for cower he'd retaliated with a disarming charm causing both of them to hit the opposite wall with a sickening crunch, knocking them out immediately.

Unfortunately a toad dressed in pink who had lost her way to the swamp just happened to be there to witness it. Which brings him to his current situation;

"DETENTION! FOR TWO MONTHS."

"What's going on here?" A stern voice called, signaling Professor McGonagall's arrival.

"Potter attacked these students and…" Umbridge began again before she was cut off by a new voice. One that Harry liked a lot.

"Excuse me professor, but we saw the whole thing." Daphne said sweetly, walking up from the small crowd indicating herself and Tracey who nodded at the back. "Malfoy and his gang attacked Potter, he was only defending himself."

"He rendered all three unconscious." Umbridge growled, her eyes narrowing at Daphne who grinned, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers.

"They were disarmed."

"A disarming charm does not do that!" Harry couldn't help it as he started laughing.

"Oh sorry…" Daphne said in amusement. "I meant a _proper _disarming charm. Especially if people don't block it. Pretty simple really…I'm surprised you didn't know that professor." Sniggers broke out from the watching crowd as Umbridge swelled like a bullfrog. Even the usually stern Minerva McGonagall looked like she was going to crack a smile at her colleague's embarrassment.

"You've done enough Dolores, I will deal with Mr. Potter seeing as he's in my house and I will be sure to inform Severus about Mr. Malfoy and his friends." Umbridge looked like she was going to argue but seemingly thinking better about it, gathered herself up and with a huff walked quickly past them, glaring at Harry who smiled lazily back at her.

"Mr. Potter…I'm going to be taking Miss Greengrass's word for this. Professor Snape will see to it that Mr. Malfoy will be punished. Also, 10 points from Gryffindor. You could have handled it without so much…aggression."

"Yes ma'am." She looked surprised for a moment before cracking a very thin smile.

"Run along now, both of you. You'll be late for your next lesson." He waited for Daphne who was saying her goodbyes to Tracey.

"You owe me one." She said haughtily, as soon as she came up beside him.

"We're even. I helped you out in potions yesterday." He added, seeing her bewildered expression. "And you love watching something happen to Malfoy and hate Umbridge as much as I do. You got the chance to embarrass her in front of everyone too so don't say you didn't enjoy that."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" She asked innocently, looping her arm through his just as they joined the line outside the Charms classroom, causing a lot of eyebrows to rise.

"You haven't been able to stop smiling." He grinned when she punched his arm playfully.

"Prat."

* * *

It was a few hours later that they were sitting by the lake, watching the ripples forming as Harry kept conjuring a small pebble every few minutes before projecting it away, trying to see how far he could get it to go.

Things had been strange for the past few weeks. He always had the distinct feeling that Fleur was hiding something from him as was Daphne. In Fleur's case he knew she was definitely excited about something, in Daphne's case, he could detect a note of…melancholy.

He sighed as he looked up at the Gryffindor tower. The last match had caused a few problems and truthfully, he didn't know what to do anymore.

As he'd heard, at the after party the whole common room had been clamoring for Ron's removal from the team. Fred and George had said that it had gotten rather unpleasant, with people bringing up how it had been him to pull the match through, preventing Flint from scoring _and _getting the snitch. Ron hadn't taken too kindly to it from the sounds of it and had stormed away in rage.

He knew whatever there had been between him and Ron was broken beyond repair. The way the redhead looked at him was no different than how Malfoy did, the only difference being that the previous one didn't try to cause physical injuries to him. Yet. He did _not _understand just how Ron could blame him for this one, but as experience had taught him, some things were better left unknown.

His relationship with Angelina had weakened too. Despite her apologizing to him for her outburst, there was an air of awkwardness between them. As a result, Quidditch was not working out well for him either, given the tension he was seemingly unapproachable for everyone, even Katie and Alicia. He knew what Angelina had said was true, he hardly cared about it anymore. He knew he didn't deserve to keep being the Seeker and to be honest, he would actually be glad to quit the team.

If by any chance he would have to come back here after Christmas, he'd flat out refuse to return. Saying good bye to Fleur again and the thought of not having Daphne around either (she'd dropped the bombshell on him that her family was going to be moving to Sweden in a few weeks and that she won't be coming back after Christmas) was enough to rob him of any willpower to return.

Everything else was just the same as always. The Daily Prophet never seemed to get bored of slandering him, there were a few attacks on muggles which were dismissed as werewolf attacks, a few disappearances that were, and he could quote, 'nothing to worry about' or 'holidays gone awry'. The levels of stupidity shown by the masses continued to baffle him.

To occupy himself with something other than schoolwork and to take a break from magic, he'd started looking around for the so called 'Deidre' line, hoping that if he could find it, it would help him understand what was happening to him. So far he'd been able glean only as much information as Dumbledore had told him. Just as the old headmaster had said, the line simply vanishes at some point…sometime during the 9th century to be exact.

He had also started poring through the journal Remus had given him, trying to make a few translations. For some reason, he knew that at least some answers were hidden in it, yet the task of translating it was frustrating. After extensive research, his translation of the first line had been 'Rustling depths breed darkness'; a phrase which made no sense at all. The amount of time put into it compared to the results was vastly disappointing and he'd all but given up on it. He would worry about those problems when the time came again.

"Why the long face?" Daphne's voice floated in.

"Hm? Oh…nothing. Just wondering about…stuff…" She nodded before drawing her knees up to her chest as she leaned back more comfortably against the tree next to him. "Hey?" She looked up questioningly. "Why Sweden? Do you have everything planned out or…?"

"Sort of…there are a few magical Institutes that I'm sure I could find a place in to continue with Astronomy." She said softly. "I also spent the first seven years of my life there anyway."

"I never knew that…"

"You never asked." He groaned making her smirk.

"Why'd you come back here then?" She shrugged.

"I don't know...guess father was feeling homesick and mother wanted to spend time away from her home country. I was sad to leave anyway…never did like it here as much I did there. What about you though?"

"Huh?"

"What are you going to do once you're in France? I don't think you'd want to come back here anytime soon."

"I…don't really know. Haven't thought it through…"

"What else is new?" She deadpanned making him scowl.

"I'm not as bad as I used to be." She grinned at that before surprising him by leaning against his shoulder.

"No…" She sighed. "I suppose not. You aren't as much of a…a…Snape used to call you that, always made me laugh at the look on your face back then...wish I could remember…"

"Dunderhead?" He supplied helpfully.

"That's the one!" She exclaimed happily before sobering up. "10 points from Gryffindor for not answering sooner Potter." She drawled in a good imitation of Snape.

He chuckled softly, remembering the first year at Hogwarts, back when all that mattered were the number of points they earned and their greatest accomplishments were levitating a feather. A time when the only secret and fear he had was of the Dursleys.

"I'm going to miss this." He looked up, startled to find her face hidden from view, her knees drawn up to her chest.

"Daphne?" She looked…he didn't know how to describe it. For the first time since he'd known her, she looked vulnerable.

"All this, doing this every day. It's not going to be the same once we both leave this place right?"

He smiled sadly before leaning towards her and bumping her shoulder lightly. "It's not. But hey I'll be sad if you forget about me." She smirked at that.

"Might I remind you Potter that it's you who forgets about everything else when you're with Fleur?"

He sighed before running a hand over his exasperatedly, mainly due to the knowledge that there was some truth to her words. "The past few years in Hogwarts you were the only person I ever considered more than a friend. I don't want to lose someone like that. " He said quietly.

He felt her weight back on his shoulder. "Just making sure. I'll be a bit sad if I don't get to tease you anymore." A smirk tugged on his lips at that.

"A bit? Stop lying to yourself. You know you like me." She giggled before hitting his hand, instantly wiping the smirk off his face to be replaced by a hurt look.

"Back at our first year, if anyone told me I'd be sitting under a tree with Harry Potter, the model Gryffindor and acting all friendly with him, I'd have cursed them into next week." His face grew even more morose.

"You're 'acting'? Ouch." She fixed him with an annoyed look making him laugh before he sobered up. "You could always…you know…come to France?"

"Me? What would I do there?"

"You said you like Astronomy right?" She nodded. "Fleur's apprenticeship will be finished by next year and she's going to be searching for something along those lines too. At least that's what I think."

"You think we could all go together?" She asked, sitting up straighter.

"Well yeah, we only talked about it a little but even I have to find something to do right? It's just an idea…" He finished lamely, a small scowl on his face when he realized she was smirking at him.

"Oh Harry…you can be adorable without you even realizing it." Her grin got wider as he started grumbling. "We'll see…don't think father or mother would mind. I like the idea. It'd be great meeting Fleur again and having you around for entertainment. Lots of girl stuff to do." A positively horrified look appeared on his face.

"No…no! I have enough trouble dealing with Fleur and her friends. Forget what I said! Stay away!" For the next few minutes, anyone who'd look in on them could have sworn the blonde haired girl sitting there with tears of laughter in her eyes was definitely not Daphne Greengrass. How could she be? The Ice Queen of Hogwarts _never _laughed.

* * *

Harry slowly made his way up the steps, feeling slightly dizzy. It was rather late at night and normally he wouldn't have the energy to be doing anything much other than trying to fall asleep or forcing himself to read something that had caught his eye. But tonight was different, it was the full moon.

After reassuring Fleur that he was fine and convincing her to go to sleep, he'd left the Room of Requirment.

It was his sanctuary of sorts. It had become a sort of personal room to him. It now carried a four poster bed with plain grey hangings, a rather large table with two comfortable chairs (it still bugged him why the room provided an extra chair despite him being the only one there), a fireplace just like the one in the Gryffindor common room and an attached bathroom.

In addition to all that there was also a large bookshelf, carrying books on virtually all forms of magic, old wizarding folklore (a newly developed interest), and a few on notable Wizarding names. The last category had appeared only last week as an addition to the collection, ever since he'd started searching for the so called 'lost' family line. The room also carried a large wardrobe which seemed to contain any item he wanted whenever he opened it, including his own possessions directly from his trunk which still was situated in the boy's dormitory back at the tower.

Reaching the top of the Astronomy tower he was momentarily distracted as his gaze shifted unwillingly to the moon, a low growl escaping his throat. He'd started noticing that with each full moon that passed by, he was having increasing tendencies to have minor blackouts. It felt as if the moon was calling out to him at times and during that brief window of time, it felt as if something in him was stirring. Still, it wasn't worrisome. There was nothing wrong with that…yet.

A cold gust of wind caught him unawares making him yelp before turning around quickly. He could have sworn that he'd heard laughter…soft and weirdly eerie just a few seconds ago. After listening intently for a few moments and hearing nothing but the sound of wind and the faint rustling of leaves, he relented, leaning back against the stone walls before sliding to the floor.

It wasn't until a few minutes later did he realize he was being watched.

Not by a student, or anyone living for that matter. If it were, he'd already be on his feet with his wand pointed at the intruder with a rather nasty curse on his lips. That was something else he'd noticed, during the nights of the full moon he had a certain liking for…aggression. In this case, there was no way he could harm the intruder even if he wanted to so he just sat there, wondering why the figure was staring at him intently.

Finally the silence was broken. "Pleased to meet you." From her voice he could tell that she was rather…surprised to find someone else here.

He shrugged. "Pleasure's mine Miss…err…Mrs...Grey Lady?" He trailed off hopefully, looking up at the pearly white face which turned into one of amusement.

"Helena Ravenclaw." He couldn't help it, he gaped at her. Helena _Ravenclaw_? As if sensing his thoughts she, "Daughter of the third founder." She added quietly, gliding slowly towards him. She was beautiful, he realized as she got closer. He'd never gotten a proper look at her before, she always appeared for a short while at the beginning of the term feast, sitting at the Ravenclaw table as was customary for the house ghosts and then virtually disappeared for the rest of the year apart from a few rare glimpses.

"Harry Potter." She smiled lightly, surveying him with interest.

"I know who you are." He shrugged before returning her smile. "You are suffering from a rather unique condition." She murmured softly.

"I…"

"Do not worry, I understand why you would keep something like this a secret. I apologize for intruding on your privacy but I was not expecting any soul to be up here at this time."

"Thank you." She nodded before falling silent. He squirmed slightly, feeling rather uncomfortable at the silence. "So…err…do you come here often?" More silence followed before he processed what he'd said and winced. It really did sound every bit as a cheesy pick up line despite the innocent attempt to strike up conversation.

Then the Grey Lady did something he never expected. She laughed. It was surprising; the brief times he'd caught sight of her in the past few years she'd always appeared so…dignified, serious.

"I've had countless students and teachers approach me and badger me for knowledge once they found out about my lineage, but you are the first to try and court me." She said, her voice laced with amusement.

"I didn't mean it like that…" He muttered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I'm just teasing you." She glided closer so that she was right next to him, still eyeing him as if he was some kind of puzzle. "So, why don't you tell me what you're doing up here?"

Thus the rest of the night passed by and he'd gained an unusual acquaintance.

* * *

It had been four days since he'd first met Helena Ravenclaw and he'd made it a point to visit her at the tower every night after that. He found he rather enjoyed having company during the long nights and it was fascinating to talk to her. She was from the founder's era after all.

She told him a lot about the founders themselves too while at the same time destroying most of his perceptions. From the way she described them, they did not come out as the 'gods' of that era like the way history depicted them. They were no different from other human beings.

It was a small blow to him to find that Godric Gryffindor wasn't as noble and chivalrous as he was made out to be. The way she described him, he was arrogant, pompous and rather spoilt. However true to history, he prized bravery above all. Sometimes to a point it was foolish.

He was rather surprised when she said there were more than a few similarities between him and Salazar Slytherin. She even said he looked a lot like him. The way she described him, he was quiet, reserved and shared the same views as her mother about knowledge. However, true to history, Slytherin hated 'outsiders' to a point that he wouldn't hesitate to rid Hogwarts of them by any means necessary, the very same reason he left it.

Helga Hufflepuff was surprisingly the same way as he'd pictured her in his head, at least personality wise; a kind, good natured woman who wanted nothing more than to educate young minds. However, contrary to the popular belief that she was a short and rather stout woman, Hufflepuff had rivaled her own mother in terms of beauty.

He could detect her bitterness when she described her mother. Rowena Ravenclaw was obsessed with knowledge to a point that she forgot about her, her own daughter. He didn't press her for more information about her. It was clear her mother was a sore subject with her.

In turn he told her about about the muggle world. She sometimes reminded him of Mr. Weasley, her wonder at the muggle inventions was something and she was rather inquisitive about them. It seemed that even if she didn't acknowledge it, she'd inherited the thirst for knowledge from her mother.

He frowned slightly as he remembered what she'd told him last night. After deciding to leave for the night, instead of the usual good bye she'd told him that she was looking forward to when she'd see him again at Hogwarts and thanked him for being good company. It was like she wasn't expecting him to come back again.

"Watch where you're going Potter!" An annoyed voice called after him as he bumped into someone. Ignoring it he continued on his way downstairs, towards the Great Hall. He'd just finished Charms and Daphne had rushed off for some reason, leaving him behind.

He wasn't paying a lot of attention to his surroundings as he absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder, his mark was burning for some reason and yet he couldn't detect anything wrong. Then he stumbled and almost tripped down the stairs when he caught sight of Remus standing at the middle of the Entrance hall, deep in conversation with Dumbledore. There was also a number of students who were milling around, looking interestedly towards them.

"There you are Harry!" Dumbledore called jovially, catching sight of him as Remus chuckled at his bemused expression. "I was just telling Remus here that you'd be down any second."

"Professor? Remus? What are you doing here?" He asked as he hitched his bag more securely on his shoulder and made his way towards them.

"So…you ready to go?" Remus asked, grinning slightly.

"Go?"

"I am rather sad to see you leave Harry, but I understand you are needed elsewhere." Dumbledore said sincerely. "I hope you enjoyed your time here at Hogwarts, know that our doors will always be open to you should you want to return here at any time." The old headmaster finished, his eyes performing their unholy twinkle. He had a small suspicion that the old man was highly amused by the look of utter bewilderment on his face.

"Huh? What are you…" Even the students around him were looking at them with puzzled expressions. He felt his mark burn again, although it wasn't painful at all. It was almost like…

"'Arry?"

* * *

**AN: I actually had about another…1k words written after that point but thought…meh, just move that to the next chapter. It's been a while since I did a cliff hanger right? Yeah…you guys can thank me later! **

**Hrm…yep, so Hogwarts arc was short. I won't deny it. But keep in mind that now it's probably as AU as the story can be. Forget the books. There will be no similarities to the books from this point onwards. **

**Oh yeah, don't be that disappointed though, he will return to Hogwarts after a while. As one reviewer pointed out, it's where the fun is (although I did tell him that I was moving the fun out of there). I introduced one new character in this chapter who will play an important role in the future for when he does return. **

**Points to the few who guessed where I was going with Harry's strange sight. Still though, I can't believe some of you thought he was going color blind. I dropped way too many hints over the last few chapters to show it wasn't an affliction. **

**This does not mean he's a pure blood. It'll be clear later.**

**Erm…there was also this one anonymous reviewer who was rather annoying. I don't exactly **_**intend **_**to make the errors I do in grammar, spelling or whatever. **

**Let's see…it's now 4:14AM here. I only work on this when I literally run out of things to do. I'm an insomniac so that tends to happen from time to time. The only times I do sleep is…about 10 minutes from now. I usually only get about an hour plus 15 minutes if I'm lucky. I write more than a couple thousand words when I get around to actually doing it. I'm tired as hell too. I think I'm entitled to make a few mistakes…right? **

**I also know I need a beta. But I doubt I'll ever get around to looking for one. Even if I do get one, I don't think I'll be using his/her help a lot. Not because I don't think I need one, I know I do…but I'm unpredictable and time schedule's erratic. Also I'm rather bad at working with other people. **

**Lastly, thanks again for reviewing the last time along with the support. Anything you gotta say on this chapter, I look forward to seeing it. I noticed there were a lot of people who wanted me to drop some Harry/Fleur recommendations so here goes:**

**Champions by Thor's Shadow – The fic that inspired me to write. Probably the original that started the whole Veela life debt thing that has now been declared clichés. Imo, the best H/F story you'll find anywhere. Trust me, I've waded through enough piles of ! $^ this pairing seems collect as stories to know what I'm talking about. It does follow the whole 'best stories get abandoned' rule so prepare to be disappointed. Still, there are about 20 or so chapters to indulge in before that.**

**Harry Potter: Rise of the Technomancers by Agent Perry the Platypus – Usually I hate seeing Gabrielle in the pairing because I feel like a pedophile when I read 'em, but in this story I can see that Harry doesn't want to be a pedophile as much as a normal bloke does. Also Fleur comes into play more than her. Follows the earlier rule of abandonment. **

**Skating Love by DANTETHERAVEN – Probably the best one shot in the whole Harry/Fleur genre. It's on another site though. Google is your best friend on the internet. Use it. **

**Je t'aime by Gibson18 – Another one shot, this one's right here on this site. Well worth a read if you haven't already. **

**Come to think of it, all the stories I listed are worth a read. Don't question me! Obey! Good minions. **

**Alright, I talked enough. Gonna try and get some shut eye. 'Night. 'Mornin…whatever. **


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm back! It's been about a month hasn't it? Funny story really about why I wasn't able to do anything…I promise that bit is enjoyable to all the people who like me or hate me…buuut that's for later.**

**So anyway, here we go, be prepared for incoming fluffiness and…eh…just fluffiness…okay, so maybe a bit of angst here and there. Gotta at least try to balance oui?**

**Before I forget, thank you all for reviewing, faving 'n following. **

**CHAPTER 24**

"_I am rather sad to see you leave Harry, but I understand you are needed elsewhere." Dumbledore said sincerely. "I hope you enjoyed your time here at Hogwarts, know that our doors will always be open to you should you want to return here at any time." The old headmaster finished, his eyes performing their unholy twinkle. He had a small suspicion that the old man was highly amused by the look of utter bewilderment on his face._

"_Huh? What are you…" Even the students around him were looking at them with puzzled expressions. He felt his mark burn again, although it wasn't painful at all. It was almost like…_

"'_Arry?"_

* * *

That one word froze him in place and he saw the last person he'd expected to see standing behind the two men with her hands clasped in front of her and shyly looking in. He stared blankly back, his mind ceasing to make coherent thoughts.

After trying several times, he found he couldn't speak, the words dying in his throat as he gazed at her. Her long silvery white hair tied back in a ponytail, her beautiful eyes gazing at him. They were all the same as he'd remembered yet different at the same time. Had he really forgotten how she'd looked? She looked every bit like the goddess that visited him in his dreams and yet so much more.

"Fleur…" His voice was strained. He wanted nothing more than to approach her, find out for himself if she was really just standing there in front of him, but the thought of being disappointed was holding him back. There was something about her that was making her seem almost unreal.

She however, had other plans. A small gasp escaped him when he felt something in him flare to life as a pair of slender arms, _her _arms, wrap around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. A flowery scent invaded his senses as he found his vision obscured by a mass of silver.

He was just starting to relax into her embrace when he felt her move slightly and felt something extremely soft press against his lips tentatively. He could feel her cup his cheek gently before pressing herself more forcefully against him, the tentativeness vanishing.

She broke away after several long moments, pressing her head against his and they remained still, enjoying the contact. He opened his eyes after what felt like ages to find her gazing at him lovingly with her mesmerizing blue eyes. Her warm breath on his lips was sapping him of his strength to remain upright.

There were so many things he wanted to ask her, he just couldn't believe that this was really happening, despite how real it felt. Her…being here, Dumbledore telling him he could leave, the thought of going back to the life he had at France with her. It was all just too good to be true. He desperately wanted something that would confirm this was not a good dream.

"Fleur…" Why couldn't she understand? This was him. Nothing was ever this easy. She couldn't just be here. He'd been dreaming about the moment he'd see her again almost every single day since he'd left her. The time she'd come to see him after the whole incident with Ginny was more dreamlike than anything, the diary was both a comfort and torture. He never thought he'd find her here.

What was wrong with him?

* * *

It was then that Fleur realized her mistake. She could feel every single thing that was going on in his mind and he was overwhelmed by it all. She gently placed her finger under his chin and slowly tilted his face upwards; he didn't seem to be able to look at her.

Her chest tightened when she saw his face. His eyes were glowing the same way she'd always remembered when he looked at her, yet the uncertainty was there, clear as day. He simply could not believe this was all happening. She could literally hear his thoughts, begging...pleading with an unknown entity for this moment to be real.

"Eet is real." She whispered, cupping his cheek. She could feel his resolve breaking; she could sense how fragile he was, as if he'd break at any moment. She did not want that to happen, not in front of these people after everything they'd done to him. He didn't need to tell her just how much of an outcast he'd been in this place, she already knew…even without what Daphne had sometimes let slip. He'd spent so long without breaking in front of these people, she couldn't let them see his vulnerability, especially when it was something she brought about.

Leaning closer she kissed his cheek gently. "We can leave." She murmured softly, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. "I'm not going back if you're not coming." She felt her lips curve upwards as contentment and relief flooded into her. It was all his emotions, she didn't even know how or when she'd managed to open the connection between them so quickly but it was a relief.

She was surprised when she felt his lips brush against hers, an almost feather-like touch. She could not have that, wrapping her arms more securely around his neck she deepened the kiss for all it's worth. Despite how endearing it was, she would not have him slip back to the tentative, shy person he was when she'd first met him. When they broke away for the second time, she couldn't help smiling brightly at the transformation of his features. He was truly happy, all traces of doubt were gone.

The students around them had gone unnaturally quiet as they were staring at the pair. That was the woman they'd been calling a half breed? And was that was the man they'd declared unstable and dangerous? It was like the Harry Potter that had been at Hogwarts for the past few months had died and someone else had taken his place.

"Well Harry? You ready to go?" She turned to find Remus looking at both of them with an extremely amused expression on his face. Dumbledore looked like he'd found something extremely fascinating on the ceiling. She couldn't help but blush slightly as she realized for the past few minutes she'd completely forgotten they were in the middle of the Entrance hall, surrounded by people. From the way Harry was keeping his face half hidden, he probably wasn't anymore composed than her.

"I…yeah, of course…" She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, and felt him return the pressure. "My stuff…"

"Your trunk and the rest of your possessions will be sent to you. You can thank a certain house elf for taking the time to organize your possessions." A small smile appeared on his lips.

"Thank you." There were more people watching them now and most of the males, if not all except for Dumbledore, Remus and a hook nosed teacher who just arrived and was looking down at them from the top of the grand staircase, were all gazing at her hungrily with glazed eyes, some didn't even seem know that their mouths were half open. She could even remember some of the boys who had followed her around insistently last year. It was amusing how little they'd changed.

"Come, I'll accompany you to the gates." Dumbledore said with a smile and waved his hand towards the grounds. "It seems like a storm's brewing, it would be for the best if you all could avoid it." Harry nodded silently. She had a funny feeling Dumbledore wasn't talking about the darkened skies outside when he meant 'storm'.

Together they walked down the steps, leading out of the castle. She felt his grip tighten momentarily in their entwined hands as they slowly walked down the pathway leading past Hagrid's hut, yet he never looked back or showed any emotion other than to gaze at the black lake.

"You alright?" She asked softly. Remus and Dumbledore were talking rather loudly about something a few feet in front of them. He ran his free hand through his hair making it messier than ever before turning to her, a handsome smile on his face that made her heart leap. It didn't help that she could sense everything that was in his mind. She could only see herself.

"I don't need to worry about waking up to find you gone anymore right?" She came to a sudden stop making him look at her worriedly "Fleur wh-" Anything else he was going to say was lost as she pressed her lips forcefully against his, her hand grabbing a fistful of his shirt to steady him as he stumbled slightly.

It was then that he snapped, wrapping his arms around her slim waist as he returned the favor. The taste, the feeling of having him near her, the feeling of undiluted happiness; they both had missed it all for a very long time. It was time to make up for all the lost time.

One chapter of their lives were over, another was only beginning.

* * *

There were no crowds. Only a handful of people saw Harry James Potter leave Hogwarts. It was strange really, it had been so anti climatic. He never arrived in his last lesson for the day, he wasn't at dinner, the boys at the Gryffindor common room would notice that his trunk was gone. Daphne never talked to anyone. The few who tried asking her about him would only receive an icy glare before being sent away by Tracey who never left her friend's side.

The next day the school would be flooded by reporters, all trying to confirm that the boy-who-lived had indeed gone. There were mixed feelings; the ministry in particular never wanted to lose the 'boy-who-lived', Umbridge was simply livid when she got the news. The general public rejoiced. They did not need a constant reminder of you-know-who. With Harry Potter gone, no one had to worry about anything along those lines anymore.

None of Magical Britain would realize that it was their own actions that caused their 'savior' to cut all ties with them. They would live to regret it.

* * *

"Are you sure you did the right thing Albus? Letting the boy go?"

"It was the least I could do." Dumbledore muttered tiredly, leaning back in his chair. "I made a lot of mistakes. I intend to fix them." The school had been plagued by Ministry officials, reporters…enough to cause more than a few disruptions. Everyone wanted to know exactly where the boy-who-lived had upped and left to.

Snape fixed the old man with a calculating look. "Exactly when are you planning on telling him about the prophecy?"

"Soon…I must confess though, I am eager to see what he will do with the shackles gone." He raised an eyebrow. Had the old man finally cracked under the pressure?

"You trust him that much?" Dumbledore chuckled and the portraits around them made sounds of amusement. Was he missing something?

"Harry needs to be prepared, but he has proven that he is more than capable of accomplishing it on his own. In time you will come to realize why I believe that. " Silence fell for a few moments. "Voldemort is aware of the recent events?"

"Yes. He was rather surprised when I brought the news to him. He didn't seem to think much of it though. He gave me and a few others orders to find his whereabouts but that's all. He didn't seem that concerned about it though…" The old man nodded knowingly.

"You don't understand Severus…for now Harry is not his first concern. He still underestimates him, he believes this has worked in his favor and to some degree, it has. While he may not hesitate to have the boy killed if he ever chanced upon him, he will not actively try to find him." A pensive expression appeared on the old man's face. "I don't believe Voldemort would come out into the open unless he was forced to. After all, having the ministry oblivious to his return is still his greatest strength. He will not risk all that." He nodded slowly.

"If that's how it is, what do you think will make the boy return? Potter has changed Albus...I don't think the needs or worries of the many matter to him anymore. The boy is selfish in his own way." That insufferable twinkle again.

"You are forgetting that both you and the dark lord only heard the first part of the prophecy." He could not stop the feeling of shame those words evoked. Even today the guilt had not completely left him. "Harry will face Voldemort when he is ready. We must do our own job in the meantime, preventing the dark lord from getting his hands on the prophecy is our first and foremost concern. No one apart from Harry or Voldemort himself can touch it, but that is only something we both know."

"You would not tell me the last part of the prophecy because you do not fully trust me or…"

"No. I trust you Severus, never doubt that." He nodded, Dumbledore's eyes were fixed on him unwaveringly. "That matter is between Harry and Voldemort alone. Even I shouldn't have any knowledge about it." He nodded slowly. He will accept that…for now. "How did he take the news about Bode?"

He winced as a memory of a man screaming in pain surfaced. "Rookwood is still being treated to his displeasure as we speak. It wouldn't surprise me if he's dead once I return." The twinkle in the headmaster's eyes were gone as he nodded, a hard expression on his face. It was kind of a relief that the old Albus Dumbledore was still hidden behind the senile exterior.

"Voldemort will realize it soon enough. We need to be ready when that happens. The moment he tries to make an appearance in the ministry, we will be ready for him."

"Won't he try to use the boy?" Dumbledore smiled.

"Oh he will try. But you know as well as I do how well protected his mind is. However, there is one more obstacle that is guarding the boy that Voldemort hasn't realized yet, nor is it something he will be expecting." He narrowed his eyes before a look of dawning comprehension appeared on his face.

"The Veela…" He sighed at the disapproving expression on the headmaster's face. "Girl I mean."

"Indeed." Fawkes trilled softly as Dumbledore got up and moved towards the pensieve. "Miss Delacour may be Harry's weakness, but she is also his greatest strength." The headmaster slowly touched his wand to his temple before withdrawing it, a trail of silver dangling onto it and he watched as it joined the swirling memories on the cold, stone basin. "You on the other hand Severus…you surprise me."

He cocked an eyebrow at the headmaster who slowly sunk back to his chair. "Me?"

"You were always trying your hardest to carry out your personal vendetta against Harry. Ever since the first year you did your best to make his life here as hard as possible...of course, that's nothing compared to what he…well…" He fell silent. The tiredness in Dumbledore's voice never left it.

He knew what the boy had been through. After all, it wasn't _right _for Albus Dumbledore, a headmaster and all around saint to go shifting through memories of helpless muggles was it? Oh no…it had come down to him to do the honors. It still did occur to him though that the old man had wanted him to see the memories, him in particular. He never asked. After seeing them, there was no reason to.

Seeing Lily's sister's face again was not pleasant. It truly baffled him just how someone like Lily could be even remotely related to the horse faced woman known as Petunia. The memories he'd gotten from both of them, Petunia and her husband about the first eleven years of the boy's life had turned his world upside down.

Yes, he had already gotten it out of his head that Harry Potter was not the James Potter incarnate. It was easy…the boy didn't look like his father anymore, nor does he act even a bit like how James Potter had been. Also, the boy had actually impressed him. There were only a few people who had ever managed to do so.

After seeing everything that had happened to the boy in that vile place, it made him look at the boy at a new light. Anyone would be forced to change their views if they'd seen it. He had seen right through the mask Harry Potter had worn all those years.

"If I…" Dumbledore looked up at him expectantly. He cleared his throat before getting up. "When I…see Potter again, I will apologize. For everything." He made to move to the door but the old man's voice stopped him.

"What changed?" He paused, his hand closed around the doorknob as a memory surfaced. One of his own; trapped in a dark room, too scared to go outside in fear of what the people might do to him.

"I guess I understand him a bit more now." He said quietly before slipping outside. "Goodnight headmaster."

* * *

Harry couldn't help grinning as he watched Sirius slump dejectedly on the couch. It seemed his godfather had finally gotten the 'chance of a lifetime' and managed to botch it magnificently.

Apolline had finally taken pity in him and introduced him to a few of her friends. Sirius wouldn't speak about it, but it was clear it hadn't gone the way he'd planned. From what he could gather, his godfather had been teased mercilessly by the Veela and it had wounded his pride severely. Now both he and Remus were trying their best to cheer him up although they were getting nowhere, probably due to the way that Apolline couldn't seem to keep a straight face whenever she saw him leading to both him and Remus to lose control and join her in her mirth causing Sirius to slump further into his state of depression.

By the time they'd arrived in France it was only around six in the afternoon. Fleur had immediately dragged him upstairs to their room to unpack after Apolline had succeeded in nearly breaking his ribs with a hug that rivaled everything else to date. They'd only intended to spend a few minutes together before they were called down for dinner, but Fleur had fallen asleep in his arms and before he knew it, he'd followed suit and the rest of the residents had decided against waking them.

He'd woken up in the morning alone with a note of apology from Fleur sitting at the bedside table. It seemed she couldn't put off going to work today seeing as she'd unceremoniously ditched her post the other day as soon as Remus had come wondering if she'd like to accompany him to Hogwarts.

Thus he'd spent the entire morning being forced to eat breakfast by Apolline who was using his slightly pale and sickly features as indicators that he wasn't eating properly…despite the fact that she knew the next full moon only a few days away. Both Sirius and Remus had decided to spend the night here yesterday too and were now lounging around the living room.

"C'mon padfoot it's not as tragic as you make it out to be." Remus said consolingly.

"I've lost it." Sirius moaned. "Azkaban drained me of everything! I can't woo women anymore...there's no reason to keep going." Then his eyes widened as if realizing something. "What if I die alone? Oh Merlin…" Harry caught Remus's eye and both turned away with a sigh.

"Still whining about zat?" Apolline's amused voice came up behind them making Remus grunt in agreement.

"_Leave him alone mom. He's had a rough week" _A melodious voice chimed in as he felt a pair of arms lightly wrap around his neck from the back and a pair of extremely soft lips graze his cheek.

"You're back early." He murmured, absentmindedly leaning into her arms before he felt them move as she finally came to view in front of him.

The words died in his throat when he saw his first glimpse of her in her work clothes. Sure, he never gave much thought to the 'nurse fantasy' that Sirius kept telling him about but Fleur in her white robes was just too much for someone like him to give in to the thoughts he normally kept locked away.

She seemed to know exactly what was going on in his mind. With a sly smile she lowered herself to his lap. _"Like what you see?"_ He blushed slightly in response but unwilling to back down, contented himself by wrapping his arms around her waist and lightly kissing her neck eliciting a quiet sigh of approval. "What's zis?" Her voice changed suddenly and she leaned forward, picking something off the table.

He groaned inwardly before shooting both Remus and Sirus a glare who merely shrugged in response while Apolline shook her head helplessly. What Fleur was now reading intently was today's issue of the Daily Prophet.

The front page had a picture of him (from where they'd gotten it, he had no idea but it seemed to have been snapped in Hogwarts) although he still was a little pleased that his photographic self was completely ignoring the camera and instead immersed in a book. At the top in big bold letters, _**'The Boy-who-lied, Exiled!'**_ At the bottom there were pictures of various people celebrating because the _'the insistent yet unnecessary reminder of a dark page of our history is no more.'_

"'Ow dare zey…eet's making eet look like you…_these little-"_ If it was any other time, he would have thoroughly enjoyed watching Fleur slip back to French in her excitement but this time she was giving an air of danger that was making even him wary of her despite the appeal it had in its own way.

They let her go on. Both Sirius and Remus, even Apolline looked amused at the way he was squirming under her. She seemed to have momentarily forgot about him in her anger over the paper and he was not feeling particularly brave at the moment.

"Fleur…we know. But…" Sirius muttered tiredly after a few minutes but immediately shut up at the look she was giving him.

"But what? Why aren't any of you doing anyzing to correct zem?! Zese people are just…"

"We can't influence what the paper prints. The Daily Prophet has always been in the minister's pocket. They can print whatever they want as long as they get approval from them. In this case…"

"_It's all lies!"_ She yelled. From the looks of surprise on everyone, it was clear no one was used to Fleur being particularly loud. Everyone except Harry that is…

"In this case…" Sirius repeated, acting like there hadn't been an outburst. "They were probably told to print all this. If it looked like Harry walked out on his own would be like he abandoned them which will more than a small blow to their pride. This is just another desperate measure Fudge is using to try and get him back…I'm willing to bet my life he'll probably try offering a public apology…"

"Like 'e will ever go back." She scoffed making Sirius grin sympathetically at him.

"So she's laid the ultimatum, do I feel sorry for you." He shrugged before nuzzling into the back of her neck making her start before relaxing back into him, her earlier demeanor gone as she made small sound akin to a purr. He didn't mean to do it, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from craving more contact with her. Remus looked away pointedly and Apolline had a small smirk on her face as she glided away. "Get a room." Sirius grumbled under his breath before going back to him earlier dejected state.

Fleur giggled at the irritated look on Sirius's face before moving her head so that it was resting on his shoulder comfortably. A few minutes passed in silence before Remus looked up.

"So…Harry, what do you plan on doing from here on out?"

"I ahh…didn't get around to thinking that far yet." He said sheepishly, looking up.

"You could finish your last year at Beauxbatons non?" Fleur asked, tilting her head to look at him.

Sirius smirked at him and he glared back, daring him to say anything. "Erm…I could yeah but…" He looked towards his godfather for support. Sirius was the only one who knew why he went to Diagon Alley alone. Besides that, there was a more pressing reason why he couldn't remain a student for much longer…at least without the proper measures and it was something he'd neglected mentioning to Fleur. Yet.

"When we were moving Harry's accounts from Gringotts, the goblins called in an old contract existing between them and the Potter family. Apparently there were a few…conditions that had to be met. A debt of sorts."

"What does zat 'ave to do with…" He immediately sensed danger. Apparently so did Sirius because he quickly raised his hand, silencing her.

"Let me finish alright? It was supposed to be fulfilled by James but…it passed onto Harry because he's the last living member of the family." He smiled and shook his head when she looked at him apologetically for bringing it up. "If he was still there, they would have waited until he was considered an adult and then started taking a percentage out of his earnings to fulfill it."

"But…" He muttered darkly.

"But…" Sirius agreed. "By getting him here, moving the vault and essentially cutting ties with Britain means that he ceases to be their client. The debt has to be paid in one way or the other, so…"

"Zey took…?"

"The trust fund and most of what was remaining in the family vault's gone."

* * *

Fleur couldn't help smiling as she watched Harry duck his head in embarrassment after staring at her for a few moments. "Come on 'Arry, zis isn't ze first time you've seen me like zis…or wizout anyzing for zat matter." She said teasingly, walking slowly towards the bed.

"Don't think I'll ever get used to it." He said quietly, turning back to look at her with a small smile on his face. His cheeks were rather red but it only made her urge to pounce at him and give into her desires even more.

Instead she contented herself by crawling onto the bed and laying resting her head on his lap, breathing in his scent. As much as she wanted him, she had to control it. For now.

Ever since she'd gotten him back the urge to be closer to him had been extremely difficult to contain. Every part of her was craving for him and she knew he wanted her the same way; the desire behind those green eyes whenever they gazed at her was enough to make her heart skip multiple beats.

She couldn't have him being shy or unsure of himself.

"Do you have to go back tomorrow?" He asked softly. The hopeful look on his face was enough to make her wish she'd never taken the apprenticeship in the first place.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's alright."

"I won't be gone for ze 'ole day tomorrow and besides, tomorrow's ze last day of work before ze 'olidays." He nodded.

"So day after tomorrow?" She nuzzled into his hand making him grin. She knew he'd been wanting to spend time with her but they'd never gotten a proper chance. Last night both of them had fallen asleep and after that it had been one thing or the other.

"I'm all yours." He chuckled and started absentmindedly playing with her hair.

"Sirius and Remus left?"

"Oui…zey 'ad an urgent call from ze order. You were still in ze shower...but zey did say zey'll be coming back later in ze week." After spending the entire afternoon talking with his godfather and Remus, they'd all had an early dinner when her father got back from work.

"Oh…" Silence fell over them. It was amazing how much she'd forgotten, how different it was whenever she was near him. He still seemed to have the old fascination with her hair with the way he kept running his hand through the strands and she let him, it was a pleasant sensation she could get addicted to.

"'Arry?"

"Hm?"

"You don't 'ave to start looking for a job so soon…"

"Fleur…"

"All of us, my parents…Sirius, me…we all just want you to get everyzing done. Zere's no need for you to start worrying about earning money so soon." It was true, both her mother and father had offered to pay for him to continue at Beauxbatons or any magical academy for that matter. She could understand why he wouldn't want to depend on her for support, but the fact that he was refusing help from even Sirius was strange. Judging by the exasperated look on his godfather's face when he flatly refused, she knew he'd already asked about a hundred times before.

"I know. But…it's just something I have to do." She frowned at him making him look away. "Please Fleur. You'll understand why later…I promise." He added hopefully, seeing the look on her face.

"Fine…but you better 'ave a good enough reason. I don't like to be kept waiting." To her surprise he looked a bit embarrassed but nodded nevertheless, crossing his heart with his free hand making her smile. "I don't understand why you don't want to do anyzing against zem 'Arry…" She murmured after a few moments.

"It can't be helped."

"Zey took almost everyzing you 'ave left." He shrugged.

"It's a debt. Goblin laws and all that." She sighed before sitting up straighter and moving so that she could prop her back against the headboard.

"I'm not talking about just zat. 'Ogwarts, zose people, ze papers." She knew well enough even without Daphne's letters that he had been vastly alone for the past few months with people openly abusing him. It wasn't the best feeling; she herself had gone through that back for the better part of her school years but she always had her friends who stuck by her no matter what.

She felt a weight on her shoulder and turned to see he was leaning into her. Instinctively she wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer. His face was hidden, but she could sense an air of vulnerability about him.

"It hurt." She felt like a weight dropped on her chest. His voice sounded so…small, insecure. "The first few years I had Ron and Hermione with me...last year I had you. I never cared because of that. But this time…" She hugged him closer, planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

"I'm sorry for not being zere." She said quietly. "You don't 'ave to keep acting anymore 'Arry, I promise...I can't stand to go through ze same zings we did again. I won't allow eet." He nodded but kept his head down, hiding it from her. She knew he'd reached his breaking point.

It was a wonder he was able to keep up the façade for so long. Ever since he'd left it had been just one thing after another. The papers printing more lies, she rarely ever felt the urge to hurt someone…but this time she wanted nothing more than to just curse everyone who made him this way into oblivion. What kind of people would celebrate the 'exile' of a boy? The papers were full of it, interviews with people who were glad their 'reminder of the dark days' was gone. It was sick.

He never showed any emotion. He only learnt about his vault and the way things were back 'home' today. At times she caught him staring at the paper with a hint of emotion behind his eyes, but he'd always mask it skillfully. She half wanted to burn Sirius and Remus for even bringing those papers. As good people as they were, they were a bit dim witted…or they overestimated him too much.

"They said stuff about you too." He muttered after a while.

"We both know zat's to be expected no matter where we go 'Arry." She said softly, gently stroked the side of his face.

"They said…" He mumbled hesitantly. "That you could do better than me."

"What?" Her voice came out a lot harsher than she'd thought from the way he almost flinched away from her. Fighting down the fresh surge of anger and a renewed desire to hurt everyone at that place she moved to face him, placing her finger underneath his chin and gently brought his eyes to level with hers. She could remember that look…it wasn't something she ever wanted to see on his face. "Zey can say what zey want. Zere are ozzers zat say you could do wizout a Veela non?"

"Fleur…" He dropped his head again. "I just...sometimes…I feel like I'm in a dream. Every darn thing I've done since the beginning went wrong. You are the best thing that ever happened to me…but I just can't help feeling like what they say is true." She placed her finger on his lips, silencing him.

"I can't explain in words." She said quietly, opening their link slowly and allowing him to embrace it, albeit tentatively. "But I will say zis as many times as you want…" She lightly kissed his lips before leaning her head against his, gazing into his bright green orbs. "I love you 'Arry Potter…and you would do well to remember zat." He gave her a tentative smile before moving closer just as her eyes fluttered shut as she felt his soft lips press gently against hers. He didn't need to say anything; she could feel his happiness, relief and more powerfully, his feelings for her.

It was strange to her how he was so worried that she'd leave him. As someone once told her, it wasn't hard to fall in love with Harry Potter. It just wasn't easy making him fall for you. She counted herself extremely lucky to have managed that and there was no way she would be letting him go. Ever.

Too soon for her liking he pulled away, making her moan at the loss. She badly wanted him, but there were two sides at war within her. One wanted to just…give in to the almost primal urge within her while the other wanted to have him take her. She knew that in one way or the other, he knew what she wanted.

She opened her eyes to find his gaze fixed steadily on her, his eyes had darkened. His breathing was ragged and for once she saw his eyes leave her face, travelling lower with hungry look. Her breath hitched when she saw him move forward again, his face just inches away from her.

"Your consent." He murmured quietly before she felt his lips on hers again for a brief moment before he moved to her neck. She couldn't speak…let alone think properly as she titled her head, desperately giving him more access. She'd waited long enough for him and every part of her was rejoicing at his touch.

He had so much power over her, he could make her do so many things if he wanted to and she would do them all willingly. The fact that he never did and always put her before him never ceased to amaze her.

"Fleur…" She struggled to open her eyes. His hand was on her chest…the first button of her shirt was already undone. She felt her cheeks burn when she felt the wetness between her legs and immediately looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Fleur if you…" She silenced him with the best way she knew, partly to stop him from finding out what she was so embarrassed about.

"Please…" She whispered as she pulled away just barely so their lips were touching. _"I need it."_

He made her lay down gently before moving to kiss her again as she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening it for all it's worth. She had to control herself again and resist the urge to flip them over. It was in her nature to be the dominant one and she knew that she could reverse positions in a heartbeat if she wanted to. But there was just something about lying prostrate to him, watching him as he gave in to his desires. She needed him to understand that he could do anything he wanted to her. That she _wanted _him to.

He slowly worked on unbuttoning the remaining few of her shirt and she quickly made sure he was divested of his too. The look on his face was incredibly endearing and amusing at the same time; She knew what he wanted, yet the hesitancy was there. Their eyes met again for the briefest moment and she held his gaze, trying her hardest not to look away. Her chest was heaving in anticipation as she saw him move towards her breasts.

One tentative lick was all it took to send her into new heights of pleasure as a moan escaped her. She'd never been touched by him that way before. She wanted more.

He gradually got bolder with the increasing frequency of her moans. Her arousal was so evident that even she could smell it as she squirmed under him and before long she felt herself nearing her release…she didn't know if she already had reached it. Her mind was clouded over and she found herself wondering if either of them had put silencing charms and locked their door. Either way, it was too late for that now and she hardly cared.

She groaned as she felt him move and opened her eyes again to find him gazing at her lovingly. She moved to kiss him but he stopped her making her look up at him in confusion before she felt his hand slowly make its way lower, trailing over her stomach before it reached its destination. Her cheeks flushed again, she knew he could feel her arousal.

A few seconds later her panties were lying somewhere on the floor at the side of the bed and she was lying bare before him. He had an adorable look on his face as he stared at the patch of silvery white hair below her waist, looking thoroughly fascinated by it. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember that being there until for the most part of her life.

She moved to remove his shorts which were looking rather constricting at the moment but he stopped her and made her lie back down. He looked so unsure of himself as he looked at her, a question evident on his eyes. A little confused by what he wanted she nevertheless nodded, wondering what he was trying to get at.

Her question was answered when she felt his hand brush gently against her, a finger entering her making her gasp at the sudden intrusion. She closed her eyes as she felt her pleasure increase but they snapped open again soon when she felt his warm breath in between her legs. "'Arry wh-Aaahh!"

She couldn't focus as her eyes glazed over when she felt his lips touch exactly where she wanted them to. The part of her, the one that wanted her to dominate him was now screaming at her to do whatever she could to keep him at it. Sharp jolts of pleasure were coursing through her body, pushing her arousal to new heights as she lost control of her voice which was now screaming his name. As her eyes briefly opened and focused on the ceiling above her, there was only one thought her mind was able to form.

She belonged to him and no one else.

* * *

Fleur never hated her job as much as she did at the moment when she woke up with Harry's arms wrapped around her from the back as she was lying curled up against him. It was still dark out and she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep…or wake him her own way.

A dreamy smile tugged on her lips as she turned so that she was facing him and watched him for a few moments. His hair was an absolute mess and she was positive the hair band she'd given him was ripped in half; something which she had a distinct memory of doing herself when she'd lost control _just _a little bit. Come to think of it…she _had _lost control.

Almost immediately an immense feeling of guilt washed over her as she felt her memories from last night flood back. Never, not once had he cared about his release. She lost count of how many times she'd reached peak over and over before finally losing control and grabbing him, pinning him under her before impaling herself upon him. She'd just let him please her and not once had she thought about repaying him.

"_Sorry love…I'll make it up to you." _She murmured softly, stroking his cheek with her finger. He didn't show any signs of waking up other than to lean into her touch.

A few minutes later she finally forced herself to stop her ministrations and slowly slip out of his arms without waking him although she almost yelped when she felt the cold morning air almost as soon as she'd gotten out from under the covers. She wasn't wearing anything after all.

A tapping on the window made her frown before covering her chest with her shirt she'd just picked off the floor and cautiously approached it before peering through the curtains.

"'_Edwig…" _She sighed in relief before dropping the shirt and quietly opening the window just a little to let the snowy white owl in. She quickly pressed a finger to her lips, pointing towards the bed where Harry was sleeping and miraculously the owl gave a soft hoot, almost as if she understood what she was trying to say. _"Guess what your master says about you is true no?" _She said gently, stroking the owl's feathers. _"I'll be out soon, watch over him for me?" _She could have sworn the owl nodded before flying over to the bed and perching herself on top of the headboard. Laughing at the sight she shook her head before ducking into the bathroom.

That owl was interesting to say the least. From the way she'd seen Harry converse with her, murmuring softly in the same voice he always used with her, it was obvious the two were closer than a normal wizard and his familiar.

She came out fully dressed to find Harry still fast asleep with Hedwig perfectly still, watching her master. The owl looked up and hooted dolefully before throwing her what could only be described as an utterly reproachful look as if accusing her for leaving him alone.

"_I don't want to leave him behind either…today's the last day." _Hedwig turned her head away making her giggle. _"He's yours until I get back okay?" _She hooted softly before nipping her finger gently.

"_I'll be back soon." _She murmured before kissing his lips softly and picking a few strands of hair away from his eyes. After one final glance at him she slipped out the room, silently closing the door behind her.

* * *

"_Erm…Fleur?" _

"_Yes?" _

"_Are you alright?" _

"_Why wouldn't I be?"_

"_You…err…well…" _Colette sighed helplessly, looking around the hallway. Most of the men and women looked like they'd been struck dumb and even she was having a rather hard time trying not to stare at her friend in a way she never had before. She was definitely not used to Fleur being vivacious. As it turns out, that seemed to have an unnatural affect on people around her.

Fleur for her part merely smiled brightly at one of the healers who was walking past them making the man walk headlong into the wall right in front of him. _"Fleur, you really are scaring me now." _

"_Fleur…dear, can I talk to you for a moment?" _They both looked up to find Madame Bonnel, the head Healer. _"I know your situation from your mother…but this is…" _She trailed off helplessly.

"_I'm sorry Madame." _From the tone of her voice, it was clear she wasn't sorry at all. The ageing healer rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"_Your shifts end at 3. Just…please try to keep it under control? We do have an image to uphold for our patients and frankly this is…" _She trailed off gazing at the healer who was picking himself off the floor with his face colored beet red.

"_I will." _Fleur said with a smile making the old woman sigh before dismissing them with a wave of her hand.

Colette waited till she was gone before grabbing hold of Fleur and marching them away from prying eyes. _"Alright, I know I wasn't here yesterday but what in the world has gotten into you? You look like you've been dosed with something." _

Fleur raised an eyebrow. _"I can't be happy?" _

"_I know you. You spent the last few weeks moping around. There's a reason why you're like this and I want to know why! Please?" _She added pleadingly, her eyes as big as saucers and doing her best puppy dog eyes on her.

"_He's with me again." _She cocked her head sideways.

"_But…oh…oooh…" _Fleur giggled at the dumbfounded look on her face. _"So he's here to stay now?" _

"_Yes!" _She laughed before pulling her into a hug. It was about time…honestly.

"_Guess that explains why you look like you're walking on air." _She grinned slyly as she pulled away. _"Had a good amount of 'catching up' to do?" _She was positively delighted with herself now; It wasn't everyday one could make a Veela blush as brightly as this. _"It was good no? Your face says eve-alright, alright I'll stop." _She laughed before dancing out of her reach as Fleur was trying to pinch her. _"Now…you did promise me something." _

"_What?" _Fleur asked warily.

"_When do I get to meet him?"_

* * *

"You have _got _to be kidding old man." Sirius growled, glaring at Dumbledore. "Them? Here? As if it's not bad enough that I'm cooped up in this place whenever I'm in this shithole of a country when you don't have some boring 'mission' for me and Remus but you bring in these people like you own the place! No offense to you Arthur but I'm not even going to get a visit from my godson and Fleur for Christmas with certain members of your family around." He did feel a little sorry for the man but it didn't stop him from trying to get his point across.

"Now Sirius…I doubt Harry would do that." Dumbledore said in a voice that contained badly hidden amusement. Some part of him wondered if they were just here for the old man's amusement. He certainly didn't need to be here after all. He was willing to bet that as soon as Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts, he'd be chuckling with his damn bird while sucking a sweet. Okay…forget the last one, that's a little too nasty. "I'm sure you carry some fondness for each other…"

Remus looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or get out of the room as soon as an opportunity presented itself. Right now there were 4 people in the room discounting him and two of them, Sirius and Molly Weasley, looked like they were going to kill each other. No…no…he can't leave now. If it came down to it he would need to tighten the leash on Padfoot.

"I'm sorry Sirius but it can't be helped. They need to be here for their protection and the children will only be here for the duration of their holidays." A long, tense moment of silence passed after the headmaster's announcement. Finally Sirius nodded sourly.

"Fine." Dumbledore nodded before bowing politely to them and striding outside.

"Erm…Sirius…" Arthur began hesitantly. He looked up and nodded, trying to dispel the anger in him. His quarrel was with the woman, not the man who was just caught in the middle of the crossfire. "In our vaults in Gringotts we had a certain sum of money added to it-"

"Yeah…that was Harry." 3 faces of blank shock were shot his way as he leaned back on his chair. Come to think of it, he still hadn't mentioned that particular bit to Mooney did he?

"I know it's from him. I just wanted to ask why…especially with the situation he's in now. I'm not trying to ridicule him but…"

"I know what you're trying to get at Arthur. But he said it was something that was needed to be done."

"What are you-" Molly began but was silenced with a glare from Arthur.

"Can't you talk to him?"

"Believe me I've tried…but he can stubborn when he wants to be. He didn't want to have any lasting debts with your family."

"Debts?" Arthur asked. He waved his hand airily.

"I guess it's for all the time he spent in your house, going for the Quidditch world cup and everything." At his words Molly's face turned red.

"He's 'repaying'? Of all the nerve…we never expected anything like that from him! This is what he does after all we'd done for him? That boy is…" Arthur roughly grabbed hold of his wife's arm in a desperate attempt to stop her from speaking, but evidently it wasn't fast enough.

"He's what?" Sirius asked, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Go on…I'm waiting. What is he?" Deathly silence followed his words. "What does it make you and your little bint of a daughter? Oh don't look so surprised…" He gave her a feral grin, "You didn't expect any of us to believe that stunt was all little Ginny's handiwork did you?" Molly blanched.

Arthur's lips formed a hard line and he knew he'd made him angry with the way he was talking about his family. But he wasn't one to beat around the bush and he knew the only reason he wasn't being cursed by the man was because everything he was saying was true.

"Maybe you should have thought of the consequences first." He said lightly before getting up. "Now that's over with, if you're going to be here for the holidays, make sure everyone understands the library in the basement and the rooms on the 3rd floor are off limits for anyone."

* * *

Harry hummed quietly to himself as he pulled out yet another book and adding it to the pile sitting on the armchair behind him.

"What is eet zat books 'ave we women don't?" Apolline asked coming up behind him and putting her arm around his shoulder. "No…really, tell me." She added when he chuckled. "Whenever Dominique 'as some time free 'e spends most of eet in 'ere, reading ze same zings over and over again."

"Like what?" She frowned before picking up the book he'd just added to the pile.

"Like zis…Alchemy." She sighed, flicking through the pages before closing it. "You and my 'usband 'ave too much in common."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She grinned before ruffling his hair fondly.

"Now I 'ave to make sure 'e never learns about zis or both of you will spend time going over zese zings and forget about us." He looked mortally offended.

"Ignoring you and Fleur? Merlin no…I value my life." She laughed before winking at him.

"At least she 'as you properly trained. Now…lunch will be ready in a few minutes so finish up soon. After zat you will be spending ze rest of ze afternoon before Fleur gets 'ome with me. Are we clear?" She asked in a mock stern voice.

"Sans doute." He smiled at her before moving to pick up the pile of books and following her out the room. By the time he'd reached his and Fleur's room he was already out of breath and collapsed on the bed as soon as he'd gotten rid of the load on his arms.

After nearly dozing off for a couple of minutes he forced himself to get up and went back downstairs to help Apolline with the food, something which offended the house elves a lot and had them squeaking in French as they forcefully removed both him and her from the kitchen and made them sit at the table while they looked on in amusement. While they waited for the food to come he asked Apolline something that had been on his mind recently.

He had picked up a very interesting tome on Veela during his time browsing. Some of the things he learnt offered a lot of answers to questions he'd been vaguely curious about but raised a number of others; for one the fact that there were no male Veela.

It was true, there had never been a Veela male and this stumped him. If there were none, what were their origins? It was something even Apolline couldn't explain as she told him that among them there were many theories, each stranger than the last. But she did tell him that he could ask Alana about it when she got here, she would have many interesting things to tell him about that subject.

It seemed that any child a Veela had…the chances of it being a girl was over ninety percent. The chances of the girl inheriting her mother's qualities were at a full one hundred percent. She could inherit some physical traits from her father such as eye color or in some of the rarest cases, hair color, but the child would always be a Veela.

Just like Fleur, only after a Veela reached her maturity were they seen as a 'full' Veela. Apolline had explained that particular part to him. They merely let the magical world think of them as 'part Veela' so that the way they were treated by general society was a bit better.

"Alright…enough talk. Eat." She said in a commanding tone that Harry was only too happy to comply. This was one of the things he missed at Hogwarts, Apolline's cooking.

"'Ave you zought about what you want to do?" He shrugged. They'd just finished eating and right now he was too lazy to do anything other than remain slumped on his chair.

"Well…I guess getting my N.E.W.T's done is the next thing." She nodded.

"So back to school zen?"

"Err…not exactly. Maybe get it all done within the next three months in time for the testing in February?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"And you want to do zem so soon because why?" He squirmed a little under her gaze, noticing that she had the same piercing glare that Fleur sometimes gave him whenever she was displeased with him. This did not help.

"I want to…" His lost his voice as he mumbled something incoherent.

"What?"

"Find work." Contrary to what he was expecting, her eyes softened.

"You don't need to do somezing like zat so soon 'Arry." She said softly. "Let us 'elp. You can enroll for your final year in Beauxbatons or anywhere else if you wish."

"I know…it's just…" He began before she cut him off.

"'Aven't you talked to Fleur yet? I'm sure she wouldn't want you to eizzer."

"Not yet…but…" She looked sadly at him.

"We always zink you're a part of our family. You're ze closest zing to a son we 'ave so let us 'elp you…please." He looked helplessly at her. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings, especially when she was his mother figure in more than one way.

"I…" He racked his brains trying to think of a way out of the bind. There was a reason why he didn't want to be stuck schooling for much longer and only Sirius knew about it for now. The more he thought about it, the less ways he could come up with to explain his decision.

Other than that, there was one more reason why he desperately wanted to make his own way. He hated owing people. Even if he thought of them as family…even if they wanted to help, he did not want to be the cause of an unnecessary burden. It was one of the things that had been beaten into him in his childhood. When he'd gathered the courage to ask why he deserved to be treated the way he was, the answer he'd gotten was; 'Know your place boy…you owe us more than you know because we decided to actually keep you than send you off to some orphanage. You don't deserve to be treated any more than you are now.'

Those were the kind words of Vernon Dursley back when he was six years old. Now he understood just how messed up that reasoning was, but to his six year old self…it had made sense. Those words had a profound effect on him, shaping him into the person he was today. Even if he knew Fleur's family only wanted to help because they genuinely cared about him, there was an extremely bitter part of him that was screaming at him to not leave any openings for something like that again.

Something told him this explanation would only upset Apolline further and frankly, he didn't _want _that to be the reason why he was adamantly refusing their help. He wanted to feel like they were a proper family. So right now there was only one choice remaining. At the very least Fleur could be kept in the dark even if the rest of her family found out what he was planning. She was the person to who this would matter the most and the person who he could not have knowing under any circumstances at all…although he'd have preferred to surprise them all.

He sighed resignedly before looking up, meeting her eyes. Hey…at least he'd have her blessing by the end of this right? In the worst case she might disagree with him and tell him it's not a good idea…no! He can't let that happen.

"Please just let me explain…for now. It's because of Fleur actually…" He took a deep breath and mentally berated himself for being nervous. If this was how he felt talking to her mother about it, how was he going to be when he'd actually be _doing _it.

Roughly ten minutes had passed by the time he'd finished speaking. Apolline looked stunned, her lips parted slightly and her suspiciously bright blue eyes fixed unwaveringly on his face. A further full minute passed while he waited nervously for her to speak.

Suddenly she'd launched herself on him and was hugging him like she never wanted to let go. Her eyes were filled with tears as she kept babbling away in French excitedly.

His fears were unfounded. As she assured him, he'd made her the happiest she'd been in years. It was all he could do to promise her to secrecy for the time being, but something told him that by the end of the day today, everyone in the family other than Fleur would know. Come to think of it, isn't he supposed to ask both her parents first?

_One down, one more to go. _He smiled as he watched the happy woman bustling about with a long roll of parchment in one hand and yelling at the house elves to get their family owl front and center.

* * *

"I knew you'd be 'ere." A lilting voice behind him made his lips curve upwards in a grin.

"You said you'd be back soon yesterday." He said accusingly as Fleur came into view, once again clad in her white robes.

"I know…I'm sorry. Forgive me?" He could only keep his mock stern expression up for a few seconds under her large, blue eyes. In answer he held up his hand, as if waiting for her to pull him up. They were outside, behind the gardens where the river was.

As soon as he felt her take his hand he pulled her down onto his lap before wrapped his arms around her waist, smiling as he felt her automatically lean into him. "I don't want zese robes getting dirty." She said halfheartedly. "And I can't believe you tricked me again."

He laughed, remembering the time when he done the exact same thing the last time they were here, before going to Hogwarts. "If you want we can go inside."

She turned her head slightly and planted a kiss on the underside of his jaw. "I'm not going to be wearing zese robes for a while anyway."

"Shame." She grinned slyly before adjusting herself so that she was sitting sideways on him.

"If you want…" Her voice sounded almost like a purr. "I could wear zese…" She pecked his lips briefly before trailing her lips towards his neck. "To bed…" He couldn't stop the groan that escaped him as she paused at a particularly sensitive point.

"Fleur…please…" He managed to gasp as he felt his mind clouding over. He wasn't entirely sure if he was pleading with her to stop or keep going. Thankfully though it seemed that at least one of them were more in control as she moved to rest her head against his chest.

"So…care to tell me why my mozzer looks as 'appy as ze day she found out she was pregnant wiz my sister?"

"Really?"

"Oh please…she cannot 'old a…what is eet you say…poker face?" He chuckled as she pinched his hand which was intertwined around hers. "You really don't know anyzing about eet?"

"No." She looked at him for a moment before narrowing her eyes.

"'Arry…you're worse zan 'er." He shrugged.

"I really don't know."

"I will get eet out of you." He raised an eyebrow playfully.

"Is that a challenge?" As an answer she moved her head, bringing her lips as close as possible to his so that they were almost whispering against each other.

"If eet was?" He took a moment to fight down his urge to give in. The amusement behind those mesmerizing blue eyes was as clear as day.

"I will count myself lucky if I manage to hold out for a day at best." She laughed before closing the distance, letting him indulge in the taste of her lips for a few moments before pulling away.

"Maybe I will let you off ze 'ook as long as you promise me zat I will know what zis is all about in time." He nodded slowly.

"Yeah I do…please just be patient…it's important to me." She smiled before pressing her head against his.

"I will." She said softly before moving to place her head against his chest once again. After a few moments of watching the sky steadily darken in each other's embrace she slowly got up and after a mock glare at his outstretched hand, took it and helped him up before they slowly started back to towards the house.

"I just remembered…" She murmured, gazing up at the sky as they came into view of the house. "Tonight's ze full moon isn't eet?" He nodded before giving her a slightly pained smile as he felt a ghost of the pain that he was going to experience yet again in the near future.

"Yeah…but it's not like I'm not used to it anymore." She squeezed his hand gently.

"Eet will be over soon." He nodded again before returning the pressure.

"Somehow…I don't think it'll be as bad as the last few times."

And truthfully, it wasn't.

* * *

**AN: Now we reach the point of this chapter that everyone looks forward to, my notes. Yes I am narcissistic. Whatever in the world gave you that idea? **

**So, I have been hounded by recent reviewers with things like 'update!' and quite a number of PMs too. All of them basically says…"update soon or we kill you". Literally in some cases. It's strangely endearing yet terrifying at the same time. **

**Please guys…you have to understand. Sometimes shit happens that you never expect that kind of messes up your schedule. Life happens. On that note let me tell you guys a really funny story. **

**About two weeks ago, on a bright Monday morning, a positively dashing young man was walking along the street. He needed to get to the other side of the road. He wasn't exactly paying much attention to his surroundings at that particular moment because…either A) He spotted a very attractive brunette across the street. B) He spotted a fifty dollar bill lying on the middle of the road. Or C) He was daydreaming as one of his particularly favorite songs came up on his Ipod. **

**Either way, he stepped forward, walked a few steps aaaand promptly got hit by a car. He then spent a couple of weeks at the hospital getting a few broken ribs mended among other stuff.**

**Now think of it this way. The dashing young man was me and he failed to check both sides of the road before crossing due to a combination of choices A and C. You can figure out why I couldn't update yeah?**

**So yeah, life tends to quite literally come crashing into you at some points :) I will stick to this story and finish it unless of course I do something stupider. **

**Now about the story…some people wanted me to release the 'angst valve' (as one reviewer artistically put it). Some wanted me to tone down the fluff and make it more manly. I obeyed the first group of people. Hogwarts was a particularly depressing arc apart from Daphne. As for the ones who want this story to be more…err..manly…scroll back up and check the categories I've chosen. 'Romance' and 'Hurt/Comfort'. Read it to yourselves again. Good, now tell me why you even began reading this story in the first place. **

**Also, this was a sort of filler chapter. Stuff will happen from the next one onwards. I can also sense that some of you will not understand Harry's passiveness to a lot of things so let me make one thing clear, I don't like stories where an abused Harry becomes all powerful and uses his money, power and everything else to publicly humiliate/bully everyone else with his ever faithful sidekick Neville.**

**Reality check, the bullied person or the outcast will never be able to stand up against a whole freakin school or a whole freakin community alone. Like I told one person who asked me that question before, the Harry Potter in my story is fed up. Literally. He's gotten way too used to people turning on him that he just doesn't care anymore. In my eyes, that is more respectable than becoming a different kind of bully. **

**Oh yeah, I also made him poor. Bit more closer to reality non? **

**I can go on and on but I'll stop for now…thanks for reading, please leave a review, flames (I could use some laughs), or anything you feel like. I DO read them, the insight you guys give me are always welcome (not the stuff like 'Y U NO LIKE HERMIONE?!' kay? That's getting old now) **

**As always I have no beta so there may be a few errors which will be fixed err…eventually. Strange thing though, I did get a hold of one who actually redid the first chapter which I will upload later along with credits but I lost contact with her so…yeah…I really do suck at working **_**with **_**people for some reason. **

**Thanks for reading, peace and err…please look both ways before crossing the streets. Consequences are highly painful. **

'**Night.**


	25. Chapter 25

**I know, I know, it's been a month. But in my defense…well…c'mon, you guys should know that life's rather cruel to me by now.**

**Almost forgot, eternally grateful to everyone who reviewed, faved and followed. Thanks guys!**

**Anyway, I pretty much pushed myself to get this done yesterday but due to complications I only just finished it. Imagine my surprise when I glanced at the date I published this the other day, it's been a full year! I know its a few days too late as of now but meh….just had to get this out.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 25**

"_I just remembered…" She murmured, gazing up at the sky as they came into view of the house. "Tonight's ze full moon isn't eet?" He nodded before giving her a slightly pained smile as he felt a ghost of the pain that he was going to experience yet again in the near future. _

"_Yeah…but it's not like I'm not used to it anymore." She squeezed his hand gently. _

"_Eet will be over soon." He nodded again before returning the pressure. _

"_Somehow…I don't think it'll be as bad as the last few times." _

_And truthfully, it wasn't._

* * *

It was to date, the strangest one.

Harry had woken up just a few minutes ago in a very weird place. Well…weird in some ways, nice in others. Firstly, waking up to the sensation of someone gently running their fingers through his hair was always nice. The fact that it was Fleur's hand only made it better.

Secondly, his head was resting on her lap…which he didn't quite realize straight away as he nuzzled into her unconsciously which elicited a small squeak from her.

That woke him up, and as his eyes slowly slid into as much focus as they could without glasses, something which surprised him a bit due to the detail of what he could see. His eyesight was still rather poor, he couldn't exactly focus on the clock at the far end of the other side. But he could make out faces properly without much effort. Fleur's face was the clearest owing to the fact that it was hovering a few inches above his, concern evident in her eyes.

"Nice way to wake up every morning eh Harry?" Was that Sirius? He tried to pull his head up which turned out to be the most difficult thing he'd ever done as he realized halfway. If Fleur hadn't gently guided his head back into her lap, it would have hit the floor.

"Not so fast, stay still." That was definitely Remus's voice. He stopped trying to move and relaxed as Fleur's hands found themselves back in his hair.

"Do you remember anyzing 'Arry?" She asked softly. "From last night…?"

"I…" He tried to get his mind to focus but all he could get were a few grainy pictures and shadows. Suddenly an image of the moon flickered before his eyes. "The full moon…" Fleur nodded "Why am I here? Wasn't I…weren't we at the bed when…"

"Yes…anyzing else?" His brow furrowed as he thought back. The last thing he could remember was the familiar feeling like his blood was on fire before he blacked out. A chill ran down his spine as he realized the only shred of clothing he had on were his blue jeans, his upper body completely bare except for the necklace.

"What happened?" His voice slightly higher than before, partly due to embarrassment as he saw they were in the middle of the living room. Fleur had her back propped up against the wall and was still holding onto him while the others, Sirius, Remus and both the elder Delacours were watching them from their seats a few feet away. "I didn't do anything did I?" He asked tentatively.

"Don't worry." Fleur said soothingly. "Stop jumping to the ze worst conclusions."

"Okay…but why are we down here? What happened last night?" The look Fleur gave at the adults unsettled him again.

"Harry..." Remus leaned forward on his chair, his hands clasped thoughtfully in front of him. "During the full moons, before this one I mean, did you have any blank periods of time where you couldn't remember what you did?" Harry stared back at the old werewolf. Remus described it perfectly, the sensations he had felt back at Hogwarts during the full moons.

"Sometimes yeah. It was like…" He faltered but Remus nodded encouragingly. "It was like something was pulling me to the moon. As if-"

"-There's something you must get from there...something beyond your reach." Remus finished for him with a small smile. "Yes. That's what happens when you transform."

"But you said I can't transform!" He yelped. "Is that why we're down here? Last night-"

"Not in the way you think." Remus assured him. "You didn't get all big and furry." He refused to crack a smile at the old joke.

"What happened last night?" He asked again, feeling like a broken record.

"You were more...hmm" Fleur cocked her head sideways, staring at him as if she could see him in a different light that way. _"I don't know the word..." _

"I guess we could say you were more in touch with your baser instincts?" Remus supplied helpfully and a low chuckle escaped him as he caught sight of Fleur's bewildered expression.

"More like a wolf."Apolline finally spoke up. "Very docile." She added with a smile directed at her daughter. Fleur blushed slightly but remained quiet, ignoring his questioning look while most of the other occupants in the room looked like they were having trouble keeping straight faces.

"And I thought I was the immature one of our little group." Sirius finally said with a pointed look at Apolline who smirked before leaning into her husband's shoulder. "Harry just…relax alright?"

He looked curiously at his godfather who approached them and bent low, poking his forehead which elicited a low, involuntary growl from him. He was momentarily surprised by it, and more so due to the fact that neither Sirius, nor anyone else in the room for that matter seemed to be even slightly concerned by the inhuman sound that escaped him.

"I meant your barriers." He frowned for a moment before understanding what his godfather wanted and cautiously let them down, allowing the foreign tendril to enter. It was a very…unsettling sensation, feeling someone else's memories enter his mind. The only other time it had happened was without his consent and the memories he'd gotten still gave him nightmares to this date.

A memory surfaced, one that was not his own for a few seconds before fading away, leaving him staring at the ceiling blankly.

"That was me…" He mumbled distractedly, reliving what he'd seen. The memory had shown him, or at least Sirius's glimpse of him presumably from last night. It had shown him standing completely still outside with his eyes fixed towards the sky. It was slightly disturbing to feel his godfather's emotions, which were a mixture of worry and a slight amount of nervousness. He knew being an animagus meant that you retain some of your animal's characteristics in human form, and right at that point when Sirius was looking at him, the 'animal' in Sirius was feeling threatened.

The thing that unsettled him the most however was his eyes. He'd seen the way his eyes seemed to glow with a light of their own during the full moon nights, but this time they were different. The normal whites of his eyes were black and the iris was not the usual green, but a harsh yellow.

"That is the extent of your transformation." Remus's voice came from far away and he shook himself violently before trying to sit up which Fleur allowed reluctantly. "It's a little surprising but I think that's about all you can expect."

"All I can expect?" Harry growled, flinching slightly at the tone of his voice. He was now horribly aware of the how _different _he sounded whenever he got agitated. "What's happening to me?"

"Well…back when I first got bitten I looked nothing like this." Remus started hesitantly. "I went through a few physical changes with every full moon that passed. My hair for example…" He trailed off, tugging at a stray piece. "I was just a kid but a few months after I was bitten it turned grey; the color of my fur." He sighed, a tired look crossing his face. "There were other changes too…right now if a muggle got a hold of my body, even they will notice I'm not what people would call 'human'."

"For you, its undeniable you contracted _some _form of lycanthropy. If I were to have a guess at what's happening to you, I'd say with each full moon that passed, more and more of your 'other' characteristics were surfacing. While it may be true that those characteristics are triggered and brought out in full effect during the full moons, each time it happens you retain more and more of them until it reaches a limit where the moon will just trigger the transformation. That limit for you has been reached, although thankfully without you having to become a dangerous wild animal."

"So…" Harry scratched the back of his head, trying to sink it all in. "All that happened those times, including last night the way I remember it…the burning sensation, everything, it was all because of the changes that were going on in my body?"

"Yes." To Remus's surprise he laughed out loud.

"So if I've reached the so-called 'limit' it means I don't have to keep feeling like I'm getting tortured once a month then?"

"I'm no expert but that's how it should be. Just don't get your hopes up." Remus was gazing at him curiously, so curiously that he had to cock his head sideways questioningly at him.

"What?"

"It's just…you're taking all this a lot more calmly than I thought you would."

"A new skill 'e 'as acquired." Fleur muttered quietly but it went unheard by no one. He grimaced.

"No, really…for this once, I' really am not that concerned. Unless I have reason to be…? I still don't remember anything I did last night…" He trailed off, looking at them.

"You just got off your bed and walked outside. Eet didn't seem like you could 'ear any of us.." Apolline said helpfully. "Alzough Fleur was able to get you inside eventually…and you wouldn't let anyone ozzer zan 'er near you." She added as an afterthought.

"Growled like a bloody wild animal every time one of us did." Sirius interjected with a smirk. He looked questioningly at Fleur who smiled down at him.

"I zought eet was cute." They burst out laughing when he turned his head away, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up his face as Fleur pulled him in, laughing along with the others as she buried his head in her chest, cooing at his embarrassment.

"Heyyy a free show!" Sirius quipped brightly causing Remus to face palm. "What? He's already half naked and she…"

"Is your mind always in the gutter?" Dominique finally spoke, amusement evident in his voice as he got up.

"Yeah, you should try it sometime. Makes things way more interesting."

"I'm sure it is...not that I want to try it of course!" Harry who had wriggled out of Fleur's arms at that moment chuckled at the panicked look Dominique was giving his wife who was regarding him and Sirius with a raised eyebrow. It was unsurprising how both, even his godfather clammed up under Apolline's gaze.

Fleur slowly got to her feet before offering him her hand.

"Feeling up to going back upstairs? We need to get you cleaned up. I can carry you if you want…" She added mischievously.

"Some other time." He grinned, taking her hand and allowing her to pull him to his feet before leaning in and whispering in her ear; "Perhaps when there's no one around." She grinned back, looping her arm through his. After reassuring the others that he was perfectly fine they trudged back upstairs where he was then pulled into the shower with her despite his stammered protests.

Admittedly he was still rather weak and couldn't struggle as much so he was completely at her mercy, something which she took a lot of delight in exploiting.

"So, mind telling me where my shirt went last night?" Harry asked, smiling at Fleur as she crawled onto the bed before resting her head on his chest with a sigh. Neither of them had noticed it till now, but both were extremely sore from having slept in awkward positions.

"I took eet off, before ze changes started…zought eet would make you sleep better." She turned so that she was facing him. "Do you feel any different? Apart from ze obvious…"

"The obvious?"

"'Ere…just 'old still okay?" He watched her curiously as she took off his glasses. Then suddenly, without warning, she pinched his side eliciting a sharp cry of pain. For the shortest moment though, he felt like his vision sharpened momentarily. "Well?"

"Why'd you do that for?!" He whined, looking at her in confusion as she gently traced the area around his eyes with her fingertips.

"Zose eyes…don't let Gabrielle see zem when she gets back 'ome or she will be poking you all day long." He frowned before realizing what she was talking about.

"Really? You don't think she'll be frightened of me?" She looked at him in shock.

"Frightened of you? Why?"

"Nothing…I just thought I looked a little well…unsettling…in the memory."

"You're still ze same to me…to everyone. So you 'ave a wilder side..." She trailed off, playing with a few strands of his hair, regarding him fondly. "…Zat just gives us one more zing in common." Worry soon appeared on her face, her smile vanishing. "Alzough…I'm scared to zink 'ow zings will turn out for you if zey find out."

"About me? Won't make a difference to them." He muttered with a shrug. "I really don't care if I'm put under that label…" The worry vanished from her eyes as his hand came up, stroking the side of her face gently as she leaned into it, her bright blue eyes gazing intently at him. "...besides, that'll be another thing we'll have in common."

Her eyes, he'd never seen them so bright before in his life. They carried so many emotions, too many for him to place…but he knew at that moment he'd said something that mattered a lot more than he'd thought to her.

All coherent thought was wiped from his mind however when her lips moved to claim his in a tender kiss. After several long moments she drew away, leaning her head against his as her arms wrapped possessively around him.

"Ever since we met you 'ave turned me into a woman even I can't recognize at times." She murmured.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked with a grin before gasping when he felt her nibble his ear playfully.

"Not necessarily." She whispered, her eyes finding his. "But you 'ave made me into a very selfish woman. You…" Shivers of delight ran down his spine as her lips trailed along his neck. "…belong to me and no one else."

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

The past week had been one of the best in his memory. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time in the quaint little town near them and it seemed they were now quite well known among the people there and there were even plenty of people they'd made acquaintances with.

They still did attract a few gazes every now and then, but it wasn't annoyingly so. Apart from how Fleur seemed to have better control over her allure than before, it might be the fact that it was now known throughout the town that he wasn't merely 'dating' Fleur Delacour. He'd never thought much about it before, but the Delacour name was well known throughout the small town…and carried some weight in all of France, both magical and muggle.

Gabrielle had come back home for her Christmas vacation just over two days ago. He'd decided to accompany Fleur and Apolline to surprise her.

Unlike back in England where the all the students went to Hogwarts by train, there were no such means of transportation to Beauxbatons for the students as a whole. The parents were in charge of picking up or dropping off their children at the outskirts of the school from where they were then taken up to their castle, which Fleur had described to be a lot smaller than Hogwarts, in the gigantic carriages they'd arrived to Hogwarts in.

The outskirts it seemed, was really a medium sized city called 'Obernai' in Alsace. He'd gotten a shock when they'd been walking along the street when Fleur had pulled him into a seemingly darkened alley after her mother where the wall in front of them had rapidly started parting, much like how the entrance to Diagon Alley did. The muggles did not even glance into the alley, their eyes sliding past the gap.

On the other side of the wall, instead of an extension to the city, it turned out to be a large, open, snow-covered area which had a winding path leading into a rather dense forest. Fleur had clarified that Beauxbatons was indeed situated in the other end of the forest. The catch was that anyone who attempted to try going along the pathway into the forest in search of the school without the aid of the carriages, would end up getting hopelessly lost and finding themselves back where they started.

There had been plenty of people, parents, waiting anxiously for their children. They attracted a lot of curious gazes as soon as they strode in, but he was momentarily surprised by the complete lack of hostility he'd gotten used to receiving from the 'magical people' back 'home'. Indeed, many of them didn't even seem to recognize him.

However, neither Apolline nor Fleur would have any of that. Keeping him trapped firmly in between them to prevent him from melding into the crowds, they literally dragged him with them to meet their friends and acquaintances. It was a little embarrassing but it gave him an incredible sense of contentment to have Fleur introduce him as her boyfriend without hesitation.

Gabrielle, to both her mother and sister's amusement, had squealed in delight at the sight of him and grabbed hold onto his hand tightly while throwing smug looks at her fellow classmates. It seemed she hadn't held back in disclosing the identity of her new brother judging by the awe struck looks the younger girls were giving him.

Fleur was also easily recognized by most of the students. She had her arm wrapped around his possessively while catching up with some of her classmates who were now in their final year at Beauxbatons. They were quite interested in him to say the least…if their appreciative looks were anything to go by. The fact that she was so attached to him only made him more attractive to them, something which they weren't shy about vocalizing much to his intense embarrassment.

He couldn't understand what it was about him that made him so vulnerable to teasing, but he did the only thing he could and remained quiet, trying to get his blush under control much to their amusement. From his experience with Fleur and her friends, he knew he was doomed to be teased by older French girls…and a certain blonde Slytherin.

This was also causing him to be on the receiving end of glares from most of the male students. They seemed to take it as a personal insult to see Fleur; their crown jewel, the champion of Beauxbatons, hanging around some'étranger'; a word which he heard quite frequently in their mutinous mutterings.

Now it was just a week and a half away from Christmas and Harry received two rather unpleasant tidings. The first being that Mr. Weasley had been attacked during 'guard duty' for the Order. No matter how many times he asked, neither Sirius nor Remus gave any information on _what_ they were guarding. Mr. Weasley had been found lying unconscious in a puddle of red at the Ministry by Moody who'd gone to relieve him. As it turns out, it was nothing short of a miracle that he was on his way to a full recovery.

The other bit of unpleasantness was in the form of a letter bearing the Gringotts seal one morning which Apolline handed to him, gently telling him to read it. After scanning through it he gave it to Fleur silently who curled up beside him on the sofa before starting to read, her eyes narrowed.

"What should I do?" He asked quietly, looking up at the two women he'd come to trust more than himself. As the goblin in charge of his vaults, whose name happened to be quite familiar to him – 'Griphook' had stated in the letter that the current director of the bank wanted to arrange a meeting with him and hopefully come to an agreement that would be mutually agreeable to both parties.

He had no idea what to make of this, it was already a done deal to him…the old debts weren't settled, therefore the bank had taken hold of the Potter family vaults as compensation. Why would they contact him again?

"I don't trust zem." Fleur said angrily. "Zese goblins…eet looks like zey're trying to get somezing from you by trying to entice you wiz your vault." Her mother nodded in agreement.

"I agree. Zere is somezing zey want and for zat, zey need you." He nodded mutely, he'd been thinking the same things after all. "But…I would say zat 'earing zem out would be advisable. Zey obviously want to make a deal." A distasteful expression appeared on her face. "Goblins may not be ze most pleasant sort…but zey do not go back on any deals zey make. 'Owever, you must be careful about what deal eet is you're making wiz zem."

"So…I should see what this is all about?" He asked reluctantly. It wasn't that the potential of getting his inheritance back wasn't tempting; he just didn't have the remotest idea about how to deal with something like this.

"Yes…but I don't zink you should go alone." She said with a smile, as if reading his mind and ruffling his hair.

"You zought I wasn't going to come?" Fleur asked, her eyes flashing dangerously making him gulp audibly while Apolline chuckled.

"Not only Fleur, I will show zis to my 'usband. As much as eet 'urts to for me to admit eet, 'e's a lot more level 'eaded zan me." Both he and Fleur grinned at her making her pout at them. "I didn't marry 'im just for 'is looks."

"What? What's wrong with my looks?" A male voice came from the door where they turned to find Dominique looking at them in confusion with Gabrielle clinging onto his arm. It seemed he'd only just gotten back from work and they hadn't heard him arriving. "Is it my hair?"He asked with an anxious look directed at his wife.

The three of them exchanged a look before turning away, fighting to keep their faces straight.

* * *

"Come on 'Arry…stop fidgeting." Fleur chided as she tried yet again rather unsuccessfully to tie back his hair.

" Sorry…sorry." He muttered, forcing himself to remain still. He couldn't help it, going to Gringotts would mean back to Diagon Alley. He wasn't looking forward to diving back into all that again.

"Just a leetle bit…" A smile tugged at his lips when he saw the look of concentration on her face, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she tied it back successfully. "I'm going to cut your 'air when we get back." She sighed after making sure the bangs fell at the sides, just the way she liked it.

"What! Why?" He'd gotten rather used to the way he looked now and even if he'd never admit it, he liked having her do this every morning.

"Just a leetle. And don't worry…" A mischievous smile appeared on her face as she put her arms around his neck. "I will definitely keep doing zis every morning." She finished by kissing him soundly, leaving him standing with a slightly dazed look on his face. "Wait for me outside?"

A hurt look appeared on his face. "Why outside?"

She chuckled before looping her arm through his and ushering him outside. "You know zat doesn't work on me. Now stay!" She commanded, trying and failing to look stern when he gave her a salute before closing the door.

"'_Arry?"_ A voice came from his side making him jump.

"_Hey…" _He smiled at the little Veela who was rubbing her eyes sleepily. It looked like she'd just woken up. _"Why are you up so early?" _He asked, crouching in front of her so that their faces were level. It still surprised him that she was eleven years old, he couldn't remember being this tiny back when he'd first started Hogwarts.

"_Noises…" _She yawned cutely before leaning against him, her eyes half closed. Gently cradling her in his arms he slowly got up before pushing the door open to her room which was only a few feet away from his and Fleur's.

After making sure she was tucked into bed and fast asleep, he turned to leave when something on her desk caught his eye.

It was a newspaper clipping of the Triwizard tournament. The picture showed him, Fleur, Cedric and Krum together. Even as he watched, Fleur, who was standing in front of him with his arms wrapped around her from the back turned to kiss his cheek. His smile widened as he watched Cedric who had his arm around Krum's shoulder, mutter something with a glance towards the couple which made the Bulgarian Seeker laugh before Fleur said something in return which made the four of them break down laughing.

"Zere you are…" A slightly relieved voice came from the door.

He turned with the clipping in hand, but immediately forgot what he was going to say. She was wearing what he could only describe as a dress. The closest he'd ever come to seeing her wearing something similar was her old school uniform, the main difference being this one was a deep emerald green…and offered a bit more tantalizing glimpses of skin than would be allowed in a school.

"What do you zink?" She asked with a coy smile, twirling towards him, giving him a quick glimpse of the back. She seemed delighted with the way he was at a loss for words.

"You already know…" He muttered, turning away to stop himself from staring only to have her hug him from the back.

"I know…but I like knowing zat I can still make my man speechless." He frowned a slightly at that.

"You do that to me every day, you don't need a-" His voice turned into a quiet moan when he felt her lips lightly touch the side of his neck, a jolt of pain shooting through him as he felt her bite down there before it immediately turned into a pleasure filled haze as she proceeded to alternate between suckling and nibbling gently, not stopping until a clear mark had appeared. "Y-you know we're in Gabrielle's room right?"

The look of shock on her face was enough for him to start laughing although she quickly shushed him with a hurried look at her sister who was mercifully still asleep. "Idiot." She mumbled, rolling her eyes at the hurt look that immediately appeared on his face. "What's zat on your 'and?"

"Look!" He showed her the clipping.

"I forgot Gabrielle 'eld onto zis." She smiled fondly at it, watching herself laugh. "Eet wasn't zat 'ard to make your face go red zose days."

"You're disappointed?" She put it down before taking his hand in hers, mischief evident in her eyes.

"Non…I like ze challenge. Besides, we never did zis type of zings back zen." She whispered, tracing her fingers lightly over the darkened mark on his neck. "See? I got your face red again." Laughing at the embarrassed look on his face she tugged at his hand, pulling him outside. "Papa's waiting for us, sooner we get zis done, sooner we get back."

* * *

An hour and a half later Harry, Fleur and Dominique were walking down Charing Cross Road, the Leaky Cauldron was just a few feet away.

Harry looked a little dazed, his face unnaturally pale. It seemed his allergy to magical travel had only grown since the last time.

"Can't we just come back anozzer day?" Fleur asked, looking at her father who, like her, kept glancing worriedly at him. She had her arm around his and was half supporting him as he kept stumbling from time to time.

"Harry…if you aren't feeling well we can take you to a Healer, we can do this another day." Dominique said, gazing at him.

He shook his head vehemently. "No. I don't want to come back again, let's just get this done."

"But…"

"I'll be alright." He muttered, cutting her off before she could protest. "I'm just a little nervous I guess…" He honestly was. Would it be worse? Of course it would, especially after everything that went on since he left.

"You won't be on your own zis time non?" She intertwined her hand firmly around his. _"You don't have to act so strong all the time. Let us help." _She murmured softly, brushing away a strand of his hair and tucking it behind his ear. He offered her a small smile which she returned before a cough snapped them back to the present.

"Excuse me." A woman was standing behind them, looking at exasperatedly at them. With a start he realized they'd come to a complete stop and were causing a minor hold up.

"S-sorry." He stammered while she blushed before they moved to the side, allowing the woman and the others behind her to move past them.

"Papa!" She yelled when she caught sight of her father laughing at them a good distance away.

"Sorry, sorry…but how was I supposed to know you two stopped following me?" Dominique said cheerfully as they started walking again. "But…" His face became serious. "Once we get back to France you…" He pointed straight at Harry. "Are going to see a Healer. It doesn't look like it's a simple matter of magical travel disagreeing with you, it's something else."

"But I-"

"I can always tell my wife about it. You choose, you either go willingly or she forces you to" The mention of Apolline was all it took to clam Harry up.

A frown crossed her face when she saw how uneasy he looked. She really didn't want to put him through this again, not after seeing how happy he'd been all this time. But from the hard, determined look in his eyes, she knew that getting this done was the best way to ensure that he wouldn't have to come back any time soon.

There was no chance of them being unrecognizable anymore, especially her and Harry as the entire pub went quiet as soon as the three walked in. It was a given, her presence always commanded attention even if she didn't want it.

Renewed mutterings broke out as the three navigated through the crowd.

"Move." A voice called and he turned to see Tom, the barman pushing aside several of the gawkers. "Mr. Potter, my lady…" She smiled at him, glad to see that there were still people who used their heads. It didn't seem like he'd noticed her father standing beside them. "A pleasure as always, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Just passing through." Harry said warily, narrowing his eyes at a man standing a few feet away who was watching him with a smirk.

Tom accompanied them to the back where he opened the door for them. After her father quickly introduced himself he shut the door behind them, leaving them standing in front of the brick wall.

"_These people have no tact whatsoever."_ Her father growled before cursing under his breath.

"_Let's just get this done quickly."_ She said softly, nudging her father with a meaningful look at Harry who was staring at the wall, an unreadable expression on his face. She could feel a great deal of restlessness coming from him.

He nodded mutely beside her. She felt his hand tighten around hers momentarily and she returned the pressure. Just like she promised, she'll be with him.

They walked quickly through the crowded street. It seemed everyone had come out to get their Christmas shopping done and it made it a little better as most seemed more intent on the shops than what was on the streets. Still though, she hated herself for attracting the gazes of the people around them.

She heard several cries of 'Potter' from the crowd along with some snide comments thrown their way regarding her. Each time it did, she tried to do whatever she could to keep him calm, even going as far as using her allure to soothe him. That was one of the things she'd found out since they'd been reunited. He was especially responsive to her Veela magic, and she to his. It wasn't as much as allowing her to control him, which she wouldn't even dream of doing even if she had the power to, but it was part of being bonded to each other as a Veela and her mate, a way for the connection between them to be stronger.

Her father seemed a bit more calm although she knew if this carried on it wouldn't end well.

She was thankful therefore, when they finally reached the marble white steps of Gringotts. On their way up the stairs though she was surprised when she heard someone shout "Harry!" which made the three of them stop in their tracks.

It was one of the Weasleys, the eldest one if she could remember correctly. He had the same flaming red hair as the rest of his family and he had his hair tied back in a neat ponytail, a little similar to Harry's except that his hair wasn't as untidy, nor did he have bangs at the sides. He smiled brightly at her which she returned politely.

She could recall him staring at her sometimes, back when she'd first met him, officially when he'd come with that infernal mother of his to watch the third task. He did seem to have some degree of control and admittedly wasn't unpleasant to look at, but she still hated having anyone look at her this way. She could detect a hint of a blush when their eyes met making her sigh inwardly.

"Hey Harry, Fleur…" She nodded uncertainly at him. He knew her name but she couldn't remember his.

"Bill…" Harry sounded mildly surprised. "How's Mr. Weasley doing?" He asked almost immediately, surprising Bill by the look on his face before it turned into a warm smile.

"Dad's doing okay, thanks. But what are you two…" She narrowed her eyes slightly when his eyes travelled to her again. The fact that he _had _some degree of control and still eyed her bothered her and she found herself unconsciously pressing herself closer to Harry. "…doing here?"

"Negotiations." Harry said shortly.

"Oh…" He shifted slightly before nodding. She had to fight back a smile, watching this…man…quail under Harry's piercing gaze was a treat. "Well…dad will be better in a few days if you'd want to drop by." He left fairly quickly after exchanging a few words with her father. She couldn't exactly blame him; from the look on her father's face, he hadn't been too pleased with him either.

They were let inside the bank with no questions asked much to her surprise. From the rather ugly smiles they got from the two Goblins standing guard on either side of the door, she knew they'd recognized Harry.

Before they could reach the main counter set at the end of the large hallway just in front of the entrance to the underground, they were approached by a rather short Goblin…at least when compared with the others around them.

"Mr. Potter." It said with a small nod at them. "The director has been expecting you. If you'll follow me…" Harry nodded but the Goblin pointed at her and her father. "I'm afraid they will have to wait here."

"I'm afraid we can't do that." Her father said pleasantly.

"This matter only concerns the Potter heir…unless you are part of his family in any way I'm afraid I see no reason to allow you all to be present at these negotiations." The Goblin said with a fanged smile at them.

"But…" She began before being cut off by Harry.

"This is Fleur Delacour and that is her father. She's my bonded." He said, tilting his head sideways and fixing it with a bored look. "They are my family."

The Goblin regarded them for a long moment, her in particular. Something must have satisfied it as it nodded, the earlier smirk gone from his face. "I can allow her to come, but I'm afraid Mr. Delacour will have to wait here."

"Thank you." Her father said hurriedly, preventing Harry from protesting.

"Very well. If there are no further questions, please follow me." Before they could leave she felt her father's hand on her shoulder.

"_Be very careful with your words. If you do make a deal, make sure there are no loopholes." _He said softly before giving Harry a reassuring pat. He held her back however. _"Keep him in line." _He muttered under his breath as soon as Harry was out of earshot.. _"Make sure he doesn't offend them. There's something a bit different about him today." _She nodded, understanding what he was talking about. _"If anything doesn't seem right to you, walk out." _

"What was that about?" Harry asked curiously when she reached him and the Goblin.

"I'll tell you later." She whispered, slipping her hand in his before nodding at the Goblin who was watching her expectantly.

The Goblin led them into the entrance to the underground, but, instead of leading them to the carts (she could feel Harry's amusement when she sighed in relief when they were led away from them), it led them down a narrow pathway off the side.

After walking along a long passageway lit with flaming torches, they came across a large vault. The Goblin placed its hand in a small inscription on the door which glowed red and they heard the metallic sound of multiple locks being opened before the huge door slowly swung open.

Her eyes widened when she saw what was inside. Gold. Heavy golden bars stacked in multiple piles around the room along with heaps of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts scattered around the room.

In the middle was a large table, and a rather old Goblin sitting behind it judging by its long white beard and grey hair. It didn't seem to have noticed them come in as it was reading a large scroll of parchment intently.

The Goblin that brought them in bowed low. "The Potter heir Sir."

"The woman?" The old Goblin grunted.

"She is his bonded." Finally it looked up, eyeing them both with an unreadable expression.

"It is good to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Potter." She couldn't help but blush at that. She'd never thought of herself as a 'Potter' before. Her eyes met Harry's for a moment before the Goblin spoke again. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Ragnok. And I believe you know the Griphook?" Ragnok gestured towards the Goblin that had brought them in.

"We've met. Once." Harry replied uninterestedly.

"I see…" Ragnok gazed at him. "Quite a bit different from what I've heard." At this he grinned. It was feral, unsettling…she'd never seen him act so coldly to anyone.

"There are a lot of rumors about me. It's up to you to choose which ones to believe in." Ragnok returned the grin, although his was admittedly a bit more welcoming than Harry's right now. She hated those icy green eyes of his, the lack of emotion behind it. She couldn't even feel anything from the bond.

"This will make things easier…very well then, onto business." The Goblin behind them, Griphook brought over a rather long scroll of parchment. Silence settled in for a while as Ragnok read it carefully.

Finally, after a full ten minutes the old Goblin looked up. "So…as it stands now, by trying to move your vault elsewhere, one of the terms had been broken which in turn gave us the power to take charge and settle the three hundred year old debt our own way."

"Zat long?!" She gasped, unable to be silent any longer. "Zis is preposterous! Why couldn't you settle eet wiz 'is ancestors? Neizzer 'e nor 'is parents even existed zen!"

"Normally that would be the case…but, the man who made the deal, Charles Potter, saw to it that payment would be ensured. No matter how long it took." Ragnok closed the scroll. "We were never going to have to resort to using measures like this. It was actually quite unnoticeable, you would have received a letter and been made aware of this contract when you reach magical maturity. But…by breaking one of the terms you left us no choice."

"Breaking one of the terms…bit convenient how I wouldn't even be aware of this at least for another couple of years." Harry said coldly. Ragnok smiled, although this was the same type of grin that Harry himself had given.

"Minor technicalities…your ancestor never thought a living Potter would desert his home country under any circumstances at all." Harry cocked his head sideways.

"Then he was a fool." Ragnok laughed, a rather harsh one but a laugh nonetheless.

"It seems so doesn't it? I for one, am glad to see it is not hereditary. Good, this will make negotiations easier." Griphook who was standing beside the old Goblin handed him another scroll. "The deal that was made at the time is something I am not at a liberty to disclose."

"Surprising." Harry muttered quietly. The Goblin's smile widened, if possible.

"Your ancestor…was someone who carried a lot of weight in the wizarding world. Those who leave their mark in History are only those who choose to. Your ancestor…and my grandfather, the one who made the deal with him, both chose otherwise. If you can find a way to settle this debt, the details along with your family vault will all be released to you."

Harry's eyes met hers, a questioning look in them. She didn't need to ask, she slowly inclined her head in agreement.

"How would I settle it?" He asked carefully. Ragnok leaned forward.

"There is a type of…wood…" The Goblin grinned at the surprised looks that appeared on both their faces. "…that exists in this world which has been deemed by many to be impossible to obtain. The great ash tree." At this Harry burst out laughing.

"Yggdrasil? Really?" She muttered. Leave it to them to bring something as outlandish as this to a deal.

"Why are you amused?" Ragnok asked, looking at her and Harry in turn as Griphook growled rather menacingly.

"Yggdrasil, the tree that binds heaven, hell and Earth together…the tree that exists in Norse mythology. If I didn't know any better I'd say you want me to obtain some of that wood for you." Harry said before suddenly falling silent. "That's what you want me to do isn't it?" He asked suddenly, his voice razor sharp, his eyes suddenly wolf-like.

If the two Goblins were intimidated, they were showing no signs of it.

"There's nothing wrong with that request." Ragnok said plainly. She scowled before getting up.

"_Let's go 'Arry. It's clear they have no intention of making a proper deal with us." _Harry was just going to stand up when the Goblin said something that stopped both of them in their tracks.

"You could just leave your wand with us." Harry growled, turning towards the Goblins and this time she was sure she saw Griphook take a step back.

"Why…would I do that?"

"Your wand is forged from the wood of the very same tree we were just discussing." Ragnok said cheerfully, undeterred by the fact that Harry looked ready to rip his throat out.

"What do you know about my wand?"

"Come now Mr. Potter…I'm sure your kind…no…as I can see, both of you do not belong to the wizarding kind do you?" Ragnok smirked.

"But, I'm sure you've learnt at some point about us. Magical objects, treasures, anything of value…there is no way you can hide any of that from one of our kind. You, like your ancestor before you, use wands crafted from the wood of Yggdrasil." Ragnok sighed.

"Just like I, my grandfather asked for the wood from his wand as payment and your ancestor, who I believe in this respect is quite similar to you, refused, preferring to settle it with a pile of gold neither he nor his heirs could ever expect to finish paying. You wand carriers always place too much stock in your wands, imagine…if only he'd given up his wand then, none of us would be here right now."

"My wand is not something I will ever give up for any amount of gold. And if I remember correctly your kind was prohibited from using wands." Harry said coldly. A shadow crossed Ragnok's face.

"We only need the wood. I'm sure you can replace it. And, even if your wand does carry the wood of the world tree, it will only be as powerful as the wizard who uses it."

"It carries far more than the damned wood." Harry snarled. She stared at him, wondering why he was being so protective of it. It was then she remembered with a start that his wand carried a strand of her hair.

"I see. Well then Mr. Potter…" The old Goblin stood up, extending his gnarled hand. "You know the deal. You or your heirs…if any…" Anger surged through her when he looked at her. She knew what it was getting at. A male being born to a Veela was unheard of. "Now have the means of getting back what is rightfully yours. That is all, good day."

She felt Harry's hand close around hers and the next thing she knew, they were walking along the narrow pathway. Halfway along it though he slowed to a stop, his hand letting go of hers. "'Arry?" She whispered softly, brushing his hair aside so she could see his face. His eyes were thankfully back to normal.

"I don't know what came over me." He muttered, refusing to look at her. "It made me more…angry…than it should have."

"Zere's nozzing wrong with zat." She said gently. "You 'ave nozzing to be ashamed of. As for zat, I zink what 'appened was good." She smiled at his incredulous expression. "Now zey know you are not to be taken lightly."

"I don't know how much of that is that is true…I don't think they were even planning on giving my family's vaults back to me again. Yggdrasil…" She frowned thoughtfully.

"Non…I zink zey were being serious. Zey were quite prepared to take your wand to fulfill ze contract." He chuckled humorlessly.

"Yeah…"

"You could 'ave considered eet." She said with a shrug.

"No."

"I know zat…"

"I won't Fleur." He said shortly, cutting her off. "It carries a part of you. I can never give that up." Something awakened in her at his words and his eyes widened in surprise when she grabbed him by the collar before pushing him against the wall roughly, her lips moving to claim his in a burst of fiery passion.

After several long moments she finally let go, opening her eyes to find his now bright emerald green ones staring back at her. Despite the dark she could tell his face had gone red and that the cold persona he had back in there, had melted. Judging by the slight burning in her cheeks she knew she wasn't any better off than him.

"You are too naive for your own good 'Arry." She murmured, her voice coming out in a purr. "You 'ave well and truly ruined me for anyone else."

He smiled before wrapping his arms around her waist. "I hope so…" His grin grew wider. "You are Mrs. Potter after all." She felt her cheeks redden even further, but her eyes closed when she felt him kiss her tenderly, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck as she poured all her feelings into it, trying to convey just how happy he'd made her without even trying.

* * *

They found her father and surprisingly Remus, standing near the entrance to the bank talking to each other.

"Well…" Her father smirked at them. "Guess that was why that Goblin came back before you two did."

She blushed slightly, well aware that the two of them had gotten just a little bit carried away. Both their faces were still rather red and their clothes were disheveled.

"What happened?" She looked at Harry who shrugged.

"Eet's a long story."

"You can fill me in on it in a moment…so, we'll wait for you at ze Leaky Cauldron?" Her father asked, looking at Remus who nodded. Harry suddenly looked guilty.

"You're going too aren't you?" She asked accusingly, careful to not let her amusement show when he visibly cringed under her glare.

"Sorry." He muttered, carefully avoiding her eyes. Remus smirked down at him before looking up at her.

"I'll get him back to you in one piece, don't worry." She winked at the old werewolf before moving beside her father, refusing to look at Harry. The hurt look on his face only made him look adorably like a wounded puppy.

"_Just like your mother." _Her father grinned at her as they parted ways, Harry and Remus continuing down the dingy street while they walked back upwards. _"Unfortunately for her, I realized within a couple of months that she was only kidding when she did that." _

"_I hope mine doesn't." _She giggled, watching the way his shoulders were slightly slumped before turning around.

Half an hour later they were sitting at a secluded table off to the side inside the Leaky Cauldron and she'd just finished recounting everything that happened with the director.

"_They were prepared to take his wand as payment?" _He asked. She nodded, watching the clock distractedly.

"_Papa? Yggdrasil isn't real is it?" _

"_It's just another myth." _He smiled fondly. _"I remember reading you stories about it back when you were little…you were never that interested in those sorts of things." _

"_But they kept saying 'Arry's wand was made out of its wood. They even said his ancestor had the same thing…"_

"_His ancestor…Charles Potter was it?" _He asked thoughtfully._ "That name's familiar…they were talking about a deal that he made with them?"_

"_Yes, apparently he wouldn't give up his wand either." _

"_So the only way they will release the contents of his vault is if he brings them back a block of wood from the fabled world tree." _He let out a long, drawn out sigh. _"It doesn't add up. They obviously think Harry can get it for them. If they weren't planning on giving him the chance to reclaim his inheritance, they just wouldn't go through the trouble of arranging a meeting…one with the director no less. In the meantime…is there no way of confirming whether his wand is indeed what the Goblins think it is?"_

"_Ollivander…the wandmaker's shop is here...we could try asking him. But I remember he wouldn't tell us much when we asked the last time we were there." _

"_Nothing at all?" _He asked hopefully.

"_Mmh…" _She tried to recall the memory of the old wand maker. _"I remember him saying that the cost he paid to obtain it was high…and that he wasn't talking about money. That's it…I think."_

He sighed before signaling the bartender to refill his goblet. _"You really know how to pick them don't you? Couldn't have picked a normal teenager with normal problems." _She smirked.

"_Someone that you could frighten away easily?" _She asked challengingly, her smile widening when she saw her father's eye twitching. _"Would you have been satisfied if I chose someone like that?" _

"_No…I suppose not." _He chuckled. _"Speak of the devil…" _He trailed off, raising his hand and giving a small wave.

She turned to see Harry and Remus walking towards him.

"You look 'appy." He smiled brightly at her and she forgot all about trying to make him feel guilty for not telling her where he went. He just looked so happy that she didn't have the heart to tease him.

"Here…" He handed her an ice cream, one of her favorites from Florean.

"Trying to bribe me?" She asked, raising an eyebrow with a mock stern expression. His eyes immediately went wide.

"Never!" She cocked her head sideways, pursing her lips as she held his gaze. He broke down before long. "…You'll know soon…"

"'Ow soon?"

"When the time's right." Remus cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder. She regarded them for a few more moments before sighing.

"Fine…but you're sleeping on ze couch tonight." Both men burst out laughing as his face fell. "Oh for…come 'ere you…" She tugged him down onto the seat beside her. _"I'm kidding."_

They waited just a bit longer so that Remus could have a drink.

"Wait, couldn't we go to that wand maker's shop…?" Her father asked uncertainly before getting up.

"No…we checked." Remus answered. "Ollivander's is closed and probably will be for the next few weeks. Strange thing really, I always thought he lived in the store."

* * *

The week leading up to Christmas was certainly enjoyable. They spent most of the day in town, taking in the sights. It seemed there was going to be a number of street performances in the week leading up to New Year's.

Caroline and the others were not going to be able to come over for Christmas, but it seemed they would be able to come visit a few days later and stay for a couple of weeks. This had both Fleur and Harry excited from the moment they'd received the news. The three already knew that Harry was with her and were looking forward to when all of them could get together again.

There was one thing that she kept noticing though. It seemed everyone apart from her in the family knew about something. She also couldn't help but notice that Harry seemed to be getting more and more nervous as the days flew by. She'd even caught him and her mother talking together quietly before becoming mute as soon as she'd come in. Neither one of them had been successful in giving a clear explanation. To their defense, neither he nor her mother were good at deceiving other people…least of all her.

It was rather annoying, but she managed to keep herself in check. She hated not knowing, especially when it was something that came to Harry. She couldn't understand what could be so important that he'd want to hide from her.

When she finally found out what it was…well...to say it had been the last thing she'd been expecting was the biggest understatement of the year.

Christmas morning was wonderful. Harry had given her a single silvery white rose before apologizing for not being able to get her anything else despite her protests that it was enough. It really was, she had no idea exactly when or where he'd learnt to charm a simple bud into a flower, but he always managed to make it gorgeous. She also got an assortment of items from her parents, Remus, Sirius and her grandmother.

They spent most of the day just lazing about next to the fireplace in the living room. According to both Remus and Sirius, Mr. Weasley had made a full recovery and had returned from the hospital yesterday. She could remember the red haired man, he was the complete opposite of his wife and she could understand why Harry seemed to care about him.

She could tell he was frustrated with the lack of answers and quite frankly, she was too. They were particularly tight lipped when it came to the circumstances of the attack, changing the subject or avoiding the questions Harry kept asking.

Towards the afternoon they were just planning on going out, all of them together for a night out in Paris when an owl sitting on their window sill caught their attention.

"It's for you Fleur." Her mother called before leaving it on the table and disappearing inside the kitchen. After quickly scanning through it she let out a quiet groan.

"What is it?" Harry asked worriedly, sitting up on his seat.

"Eet's from ze clinic…zere's been an emergency." She said quickly before running up the stairs, ignoring her family's protests.

As soon as she'd come back down, already changed into her white robes, she was immediately met by everyone trying to convince her not to go. "I can't mama…" She told her mother earnestly. _"I know I'm on vacation but I can't ignore something like this."_

"_But…" _Her mother trailed off, looking over her shoulder at Harry making her look too. At that moment she felt terrible for what she was about to do. He looked more disappointed than she had ever seen him in a long time; the happiness that had been there on his face just moments ago had all but gone.

"_I'm sorry…really." _She said softly, moving forward to take his face in her hands. She couldn't understand why he looked so upset, even the others. She couldn't just stay behind and ignore the summons. _"I'll make it up to you."_

"_No, it's alright." _He replied, giving her a strained smile that made her feel even worse. Her whole family, even Remus and Sirius looked disappointed. _"Go, try and get back soon." _

"_Promise" _After a chaste kiss she let go of him and after a hurried goodbye she'd stepped outside, turned on the spot and after a few seconds of unpleasantness where the sickeningly familiar sensation of being forced through an extremely narrow enveloped her, she found herself standing outside a very crowded clinic.

* * *

"_Worst Christmas ever." _Colette grumbled mutinously beside her. She chuckled humorlessly, watching the clock as the minutes ticked by.

As it turns out, there'd been a fire at the nearby Apartment complex. Apparently drunk muggles, gasoline, and fireworks resulted in an explosion…literally. Since they were the only clinic in the vicinity, they had to take matters into their own hands.

The muggles were all taken in, treated and Obliviated before being released. It was slightly unethical, but they were saving their lives in the end. Surprisingly most of them didn't seem _that _much surprised by the sight of bandages appearing out of thin air or floating beds, probably due to the shock of the explosion. It hadn't prevented a few of them from trying to flirt with her though, something that had been the source of amusement to Colette and some of the other Healers. It was now a well known fact throughout the clinic that she hated getting hit on.

She'd expected to have been done at least by seven in the evening, but now she knew how naive she'd been. She hadn't expected this many people.

It was now 11:37pm and they were waiting on the last few patients. There were only about 6 more that needed looking after and some of the other Healers had already left, but she'd chosen to stay behind with Colette seeing as her Christmas was officially ruined too. She also didn't feel up to facing Harry just then. He'd looked so disappointed when she had to go and she'd told him she'd be back soon. It was pointless now.

"_Had any plans?" _She asked quietly, leaning her head back against the wall behind them.

"_My boyfriend was going to take me out to dinner." _Colette said a hint of longing hidden behind the bitterness before sighing. _"There's always tomorrow I guess...What about you?" _

"_Something like that. Parents too." _She smiled when she felt her lean against her shoulder.

"_It's at times like this I wish I never took this job." _She laughed before falling silent.

"_Hey…" _Colette muttered, suddenly sitting up straighter. _"Who's that?" _She looked to see where she was pointing and she caught sight of Madame Bonnel talking with someone. He didn't look like a healer and was dressed in a white shirt along with a pair of blue denims. She felt herself drawn to him and with a gasp she pulled back. Whoever that muggle was, he was giving her the same feeling as Harry. _"He's cute." _She heard Colette's voice beside her.

"_You saw his face?" _She asked uncertainly. There was only one person who could make her feel these things in the world, but it couldn't be him…he wouldn't come here, not at this time.

"_Yeah, he's…" _At that moment Madame Bonnel pointed down the hall, right at her. Whatever Colette was saying was lost on her when he turned around. Even from here, she could make out his bright green eyes.

It was indeed Harry, and what was more was that he was carrying a bouquet of flowers on one hand, the other jammed inside his pocket. She could tell he was extremely embarrassed about something from the way he walked towards her, looking terribly self conscious. She couldn't help but notice that a few female Healers were eyeing him with interest as he walked past them making her growl. Even Madam Bonnel was watching him, although when their eyes met, she could have sworn she saw her smirk.

Colette nudged her silently, bringing her back to the present. "'Arry? What are you doing 'ere? Not zat I don't mind 'aving you 'ere I mean…" Another nudge from her friend made her fall silent. Harry looked a little amused at how flustered she was, but he looked like it was taking all his courage to be here right now.

"Fleur I…ah…" She couldn't help it as she felt a smile spread across her face. He looked like he'd momentarily forgotten what he was going to say. "Here…I got these for you." She took the flowers from him, a warm feeling of happiness coursing through her. Before she could speak however she sensed he was trying to say something and fell silent, watching him curiously.

He looked far more agitated than she'd ever seen him and she couldn't understand why. It looked like he was steeling himself for something and the thought made her nervous too. What was he trying to tell her?

She heard him mutter something under his breath that sounded vaguely like 'Sirius', 'Flowers' and 'Stupid'.

"What is eet?" She asked gently. He surprised her when he switched to French.

"_Leave the flowers aside for a bit? Please?" _He asked, a pleading look on his face.

"_I'll take them" _Colette said brightly before tugging them out of her arms. From the corner of her eyes she could see what looked suspiciously like silvery white hair, but she didn't turn. Harry seemed to be struggling with something.

"_Fleur…" _She felt his hand touch hers rather timidly and she immediately closed hers around it, refusing to let it get away. He looked so nervous that she was beginning to feel worried. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, a fresh look of determination behind them.

A startled gasp escaped her before both her hands flew up to her mouth. Colette made a similar noise next to her as he bent down on one knee, the hand that was inside his pocket finally coming out and in it, was a small black box.

He slowly opened it and she briefly caught sight of a silver ring with a perfectly sized diamond on it that seemed to glow in a sapphire hue before her eyes travelled back to his which were watching her intently. He looked well beyond nervous now.

"_The last time I said something like this…" _He said haltingly, his voice a little higher than usual. _"You said I had to get a ring. So…I got one." _He smiled demurely up at her. She couldn't even force any words out as she felt tears form in her eyes. The sudden emotions she was feeling were overwhelming. _"Fleur Isabelle Delacour, would you do me the honor of being my…" _She almost missed his next few words as a look of horror appeared on his face as soon as he'd said them.

"_Your husband?" _She asked, a smile tugging at her lips even as she felt the tears run down her cheeks. Colette was hugging the flowers to her chest as she watched them and all around them she could see the others watching them in amusement.

"No no no no no…." He moaned, turning his face down so that his hair hid it from view. "Why did I mess it up…stupid…trying to do it in French…" She'd almost bent forward to brush his hair aside when it snapped back up, the same look of determination present as before taking a deep breath. "Fleur Isabelle Delacour, will you marry me?"

"_Yes." _Her answer came out so easily. She didn't even need a moment to think. It was like she'd been bursting to say it ever since he'd gotten down on his knees. He looked like someone had hit him hard over the head.

"Say it again?" She smiled before repeating it, her hand tightening around his. "That's 'yes' right? I haven't…"

"Yes…yes, yes, YES I will marry you 'Arry James Potter." What she was feeling was indescribable as she watched the look of unrestrained happiness that appeared on his face, his emerald green eyes gleaming as if with a light of their own. He fumbled slightly as he got the beautiful ring of its box before gently sliding it into her ring finger.

Before she knew it his arms had wrapped around her waist and just as hers were coming up around his neck when their lips met in a kiss that would be engraved in their memories for the rest of their lives. It carried something that hadn't been there before…a promise, an absolute promise for a future together.

When they finally parted they were surprised to hear cheers and even a couple of whoops from the onlookers. A bit further down the hall she could see her whole family there along with both Sirius and Remus who were all watching them alongside Madame Bonnel. Her mother she could see, was leaning against her father, watching them intently. Even from here she could see the happiness in her face. When Harry turned to see where she was looking at both of them laughed when Sirius punched the air.

"So…" She murmured softly, a small smile playing on her lips as one of her hands came up to play with his hair. Everyone apart from him had ceased to exist for her. "Zis was where you kept disappearing off to? To get zis made?"

"Yeah…I told you you'll know when the time was right." He said with a grin, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"And my family…everyone knew you were going to ask except for me?"

"I guess…" He suddenly looked a little nervous. "I'm sorry for keeping everything from you but…"

"'Arry…" She growled, placing a finger against his lips, immediately stopping him from speaking. "From now on you do as I say, got eet?" A playful smirk appeared on his lips.

"As if I already don't."

"Good." She whispered, her arms wrapping around his neck again. "Now shut up and kiss me."

The last thing she remembered after she felt his lips on hers again was turning on the spot, holding tightly onto him. Blinking a few times to verify that she'd indeed brought them to her intended destination, she pushed him onto the bed before straddling him, their clothes vanishing conveniently.

The rest of the Delacours along with Sirius and Remus wisely decided against returning home, choosing instead to spend the night at Alana's.

* * *

**AN: And there we have it. Got that outta the way. (Warning! Long author's note coming up. In my defense, I haven't slept in weeks and right now am halfway through my 2****nd****…or 4****th**** drink. Yeah well…before you all frown at me I do need things to distract myself. Besides, I like rambling here.)**

**I've had many threats including but not limited to finding me and running me over with a car again if I don't update. Jeez…thanks for giving me a new phobia guys. It now takes me five minutes to get to the other side of the darned road because I'm now on the lookout for multiple speeding vehicles intent on running me over.. Also, JB songs as a recent reviewer threatened me with…dude, have you no heart?! It is vile, cruel and inhuman. You scare me. **

**Turning me into a woman? Well…it might not really be a threat to me. If by the end of it I turn out to be a hottie I'd love it. (I'm assuming of course that you will be giving me the entire sex change package). Probably will stop trying to find ways to solve my problem of being single…or leave my bathr-err…yeah…too much info.**

**Alright, so, proposal done. I am fully aware it is cheesy. But hey, when's a proposal **_**not **_**cheesy? Especially in this story…I mean c'mon…you gotta realize with a title like this that it's bound to have some cheesy stuff. Also I can't just have something mundane…**

**I'm aware more questions will be raised such as err…off the top of my head like – "Yggdrasil? WTF." It will come together later…hopefully…so yeah, hold your horses fer a bit. **

**Oh yeah, if anyone doesn't get what I mean by Harry's half lycanthropy thingy or are having trouble getting the visualizations that I'm playing around with correctly, like his eyes and stuff, check out the dude called Dyson from 'Lost Girl'. (Epic Tv Show, makes me cry and wish I was in Canada.) I'm basically giving Harry the exact same thing that he has, except in this case he's just a half-ish werewolf whereas the dude from the show is a fae wolf…thing. I just watch that for the insanely hot women that keep appearing on it. So yea, I borrowed the idea for that from there. It seems way cooler than giving him an Animagus form or making him a full wolfie. Fanfiction ruined both of them for me. **

**Why no animagus form you ask? Simple, because Fanfiction has Harry turning into creatures I've never even heard of. I can't compete with that.**

**Why not make him a full wolfie? I do not like slash. Fanficiton rules dictate that anytime Harry becomes a werewolf, he also contracts the curious side effect of being a raging homosexual.**

**There was one other thing. Beta readers. **

**I'm done trying to get one or work with one. It's a lot less frustrating for me. I apologize here…again, to the people who offered to beta and help me out. I did message you all back, but in case you haven't seen it, it's nothing personal, I might have skimmed over it as it might have been lying somewhere in between a pile of messages from 'Harmony' (Really?) fans. **

**But yeah, I'm happier continuing this the way I always have. To the Grammar Nazis, go nuts because I guarantee you will find at least 2 or 3 errors…I remember the last one actually tried correcting my grammar on my notes…ahh good times, good times…**

**If you find errors with grammar or w.e, please let me know in your review. Don't just leave things like, "A few errors here and there but good all the same." Or "Crappy, couldn't read past the first few sentences." You are not giving me anything to work with. I do want to improve my writing so point out a few examples and I'll correct 'em and hopefully I won't repeat that mistake in the next chapter. Then you have no problems with reading, and I'm a better writer. Win win! **

**Okay, so…I have one more announcement to make. My next post will most probably not be chapter 26 of this story. I recently saw a movie based on a novel. It was…mediocre at best, predictable storyline among other things. But the female protagonist in it gave me an idea for a new story. It will be Harry/said female protagonist (I will just be borrowing her character so it will not be a crossover). 'Course it will be fluff. AND, put down the pitchforks, it will just be a oneshot. You don't have to worry about me neglecting this story. Actually I think I might start working on the next chapter soon. Just won't post it for the time being. **

**Then again, I love messing with you all so I just might not post anything at all or end up posting chapter 26 next week. **

**Whelp, 'night all. I mean 'morning. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Flames too. (I like seeing people rage on the net.) Will go over it and correct errors later...not in the right conditions to be doing that now.**

**Ps- Is it just me that thought Iron Man 3 was shit while Star Trek Into the Darkness was beyond epic? **


End file.
